The National Security Strategy of the United States: Development of Grand Strategy

Abstract

Abstract : Of the many fundamental changes legislated by the Goldwater-Nichols Act of I 986 the requirement for the President to submit an annual comprehensive report to the United States Congress on the national security strategy of the United States is arguably the most far reaching. The National Security Strategy report was envisioned to be the preeminent document used to define the worldwide interests goals and objectives of the United States. This report was to induce: a comprehensive description and discussion of the foreign policy worldwide commitments and national defense capabilities of the United States; the proposed short-term and long-term uses of the elements of national power required to protect and promote the interests and achieve the stated goals and objectives; and to provide an assessment of the capabilities of the United States to implement its national security strategy. This paper will explore the origins and development of national security strategy in the United States. It will examine the requirement and the content of the annual report the President is required to develop and submit to Congress as mandated by the Goldwater- Nichols Act of 1986. This paper will then outline and analyze the 1987, 1988, 1994, 1998, and 2002 National Security Strategy Reports. The purpose is to determine whether or not they achieve the intent of Goldwater-Nichols by providing a unifying (grand) strategy for the United States. These five reports were selected because the represent in the author's opinion new or significant changes in the thinking and direction of U.S. national security strategy.