US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis speaks following a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Ryamizard Ryacudu (right) in Jakarta on January 23. Mattis, a former US Marine Corps general, has declared the new Trump administration’s national security strategy a turn towards a focus on “great power competition”. Photo: AP 
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis speaks following a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Ryamizard Ryacudu (right) in Jakarta on January 23. Mattis, a former US Marine Corps general, has declared the new Trump administration’s national security strategy a turn towards a focus on “great power competition”. Photo: AP 
Donald Trump
Comment /  Opinion

Trump’s national security strategy is a welcome shift away from ‘war on terror’ policies

Michael Edesess says a recent speech by US Defence Secretary James Mattis focusing on China and Russia as adversaries is actually something to celebrate, because it shifts focus from the post-9/11 policies that damaged the US’ security and reputation

Michael Edesess
Michael Edesess

Updated: 11:05pm, 1 Feb, 2018

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US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis speaks following a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Ryamizard Ryacudu (right) in Jakarta on January 23. Mattis, a former US Marine Corps general, has declared the new Trump administration’s national security strategy a turn towards a focus on “great power competition”. Photo: AP 
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis speaks following a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Ryamizard Ryacudu (right) in Jakarta on January 23. Mattis, a former US Marine Corps general, has declared the new Trump administration’s national security strategy a turn towards a focus on “great power competition”. Photo: AP 
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