My latest piece over at The Spectator discusses the reversion of the Department of Defense to its historical name, the Department of War. I argue that it is a good start in reducing rhetorical overlap, sending a signal to our enemies, and reorienting the institution to face the threats of the future. Below is a snippet, but you can read the whole thing here.
And that points to the most useful aspect of this change: as a threat to our enemies. America faces the gravest geopolitical situation that we have seen since at least 1991, if not 1945. Our foes are arrayed against the US-led world order and have been threatening and attacking their neighbors in a quest to undermine our primacy and the very idea of national sovereignty. China, Russia, Iran and their satrapies are becoming more closely intertwined and dangerous with every passing day. They make no secret of their goal: overturning the international system and replacing it with something more amenable to their belligerent, expansionist desires.
This antagonism must not be ignored. It must be confronted head-on. This requires a change in mindset. No longer are we in the stable, post-Cold War era, where non-state actors posed the largest challenge to America. We are in the rough-and-tumble age of great-power rivalry. Our adversaries understand this. It is time we do as well. Returning the Defense Department to its original title shows that we are recognizing the new reality.