MintPress News: Joint Chief Nominee Lists Russian Federation As Greatest Threat To US

Dunford noted that confirming the identity of the cyber attackers is difficult. The chairman meets with leaders of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and National Guard to craft USA military strategy.

General Joseph Dunford said the US will need to continue cooperation with Pakistan to defeat al Qaeda, support Pakistan’s stability, and achieve a lasting peace in Afghanistan.

“But again, as somebody in uniform, I get paid to look at both somebody’s intent and their capability”, Dunford continued.

James told Reuters that the United States was increasing its military presence in Eastern Europe in response to Russia’s “worrisome” activity.

A major concern is China’s development of “anti-access weapons” created to prevent the United States military from operating in Asia.

TOM COTTON: It’s been reported that your nickname is Fightin’ Joe.

United States military officials “have no concept of diplomacy, have no concept of political calculation, and certainly of course by profession, have no interest in peace”, he added.

And with an appealing flip, Dunford did state that the “most significant” limitation that she realized within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation relationship is protection from cyberattacks.

Dunford singled out Russian Federation as the No. 1 threat to US national security. Hot but not, “that we look at China as an enemy”, so Dunford. “Frankly without that kind of support they are not going to be able to protect themselves against Russian aggression,”.

He explained that his assessment was based on Russia’s nuclear power as well as “the capability to violate the sovereignty of our allies and to do things that are inconsistent with our national interests but are in the process of doing”. But with US challenges overseas changing at a dizzying speed – including the rise of ISIS and other terrorists in the Middle East and Russia’s reemergence as a potentially dangerous foe, the Pentagon is rethinking its commitment to the F-35.

“It’s absolutely critical that we do that”, he said. “ISIL has lost ground overall since the beginning our campaign”.

In combating ISIL, Dunford said, he is comfortable with the current strategy that stresses the whole-of-government approach. He however stressed that the threats are far more complicated than ticking off a checklist.

“By the fall, we’ll know what direction we’re headed in”, he said. That topic is sure to come up Thursday, as lawmakers press Dunford for answers on how more progress can be made.

In addition to calling the Ohio subs the safest part of the nuclear triad that needed to be modernized, Dunford embraced Chief of Naval Operations ADM Jonathan Greenert’s support for building two Virginia-class attack boats a year.