The "Four Dangerous Mindsets" of the newly released National Intelligence Strategy by the United States

On August 10th, the 2023 National Intelligence Strategy of the United States was officially released. This is another important policy introduced by the Biden administration in the field of national security. The National Intelligence Strategy of the United States proposes six goals, including strengthening strategic competition, recruiting innovative personnel, increasing investment in science and technology, deepening alliance cooperation, responding to cross-border challenges, and enhancing resilience and adaptation. The intention of this strategic intelligence to contain China is clearly revealed, reflecting the hysteria of the "American style security concept" in the face of the current complex security situation, exposing four inappropriate and dangerous thinking parasitic on the US national security strategy.

The National Intelligence Strategy of the United States in 2023

The Cold War mentality of "pointing at China"

The National Intelligence Strategy of the United States stated at the beginning that "China is the only competitor with the intention of reshaping the international order, as well as the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological strength to reshape the international order." The six strategic goals of the US intelligence newspaper revolve around the main line of suppressing China. This policy direction is not only a rehash of the old "China threat theory", but also a clear declaration by the US intelligence media to usher in the era of "target China".

The Cold War has been over for more than 30 years, and some people in the American intelligence newspaper have entered a new world of multipolarity, with their minds still stuck in the old era of bipolar confrontation, constantly searching for a "perfect opponent" to showcase their skills. For a period of time, the US intelligence community has regarded China as a "toolbox" for raising domestic prices and a scapegoat for covering up security difficulties externally. From establishing the "China Task Center" to clamoring for the reconstruction of the intelligence network in China, from launching "witch hunting operations" against Chinese scholars to pressuring countries to decouple from China, the US intelligence agency proficiently uses Cold War era strategies and techniques to build a new "iron curtain" that blocks global prosperity and development.

China is not the Soviet Union of the past, and relying on intelligence to contain and isolate China is even more unrealistic. The people of the world have suffered greatly from the turmoil and division of the Cold War, and any attempt to restart a new Cold War will inevitably attract common opposition from countries around the world.

Zero sum thinking of "absolute safety"

The National Intelligence Strategy of the United States lists many new security threats, but does not propose effective strategies to deepen international security cooperation. Instead, it repeatedly emphasizes "protecting our country and interests", implying the need to ensure absolute security for the United States at all costs and by all means in the chaotic and complex real world.

Pursuing personal security, neglecting common security, and viewing competition and cooperation between countries as a simple zero sum game is a deep-rooted and stubborn disease of the American security concept. We see that in the face of the financial crisis, the United States is aggressively raising interest rates and harvesting the world; Faced with supply chain challenges, the United States abuses its long arm jurisdiction and wields a sanction rod; In the face of the global public crisis, the United States allowed the popularity of COVID-19 to undermine international cooperation; Faced with the resurgence of terrorism, the United States stubbornly adheres to the dual standard and attempts to divert trouble from the east.

In today's 21st century, the United States still adheres to the jungle rule of "you lose, you win" and "the law of the jungle of the fittest". This will only lead to a prisoner's dilemma of mutual distrust among countries, ultimately making the United States even more insecure. "America First" has become a source of turmoil and suffering in the world.

The hegemonic thinking of "aesthetic supremacy"

As the only superpower, imposing its own will on the world is an inherent logic of American hegemony. The National Intelligence Strategy of the United States inevitably refers to "American values" and repeatedly mentions "international security order", which essentially aims to maintain an "international order centered on the United States.".

Forming a security shaping capability that is commensurate with global hegemony is a goal that the American intelligence industry is striving for. As early as World War II, the Strategic Intelligence Agency proposed to implement propaganda and subversive actions to shape the post-war world order. In 1948, the CIA launched the "Zolin Plan" and deeply intervened in Italian elections; In 1953, the CIA implemented the "Ajax Operation" to overthrow the Mossadegh regime in Iran. Since 2003, Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan have experienced a series of "color revolutions", and the US intelligence agency is considered an important driving force behind the scenes.

The CIA has won over allies, shrunk the front line, and contained China, using intelligence and diplomacy to maintain the declining US hegemony. However, no matter how the methods and means change, the underlying logic of American hegemony will not change, and the arrogance and prejudice towards other countries will not change. Unilateralism and individualism are causing increasingly strong criticism and opposition from the international community.

Adversarial thinking of "choosing sides and standing in line"

Valuing the role of allies is the biggest difference in the Biden administration's self proclaimed foreign policy from the Trump era. The National Intelligence Strategy of the United States proposes that alliances and partnership networks are the most important strategic assets of the United States, and it is necessary to continue to deepen the operation of the Five Eyes Alliance and establish new intelligence cooperation relationships.

The so-called establishment of "alliances and partnerships" is actually coercing other countries to take sides and firmly bind the relevant countries to the intelligence tanks of the United States. In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US intelligence department made a big deal around the European energy supply chain to solidify the "anti Russian alliance", and the "Beixi pipeline incident" is still "foggy". In the Asia Pacific region, the United States strongly promotes the "Indo Pacific strategy", gathers the "Five Eyes Alliance", "Quadrilateral Mechanism", and "Trilateral Security Partnership", creates intelligence circles, and forces countries to join the anti China chorus.

Being an intelligence ally of the United States not only requires willingly acting as a pawn, but also accepting meticulous "special care" from the "big brother" at any time. According to media reports, the US National Security Agency is monitoring the heads of state and government of allied countries, establishing a technology theft base covering the surrounding areas in a European country, and even requesting the country's intelligence agency to assist the US in monitoring its own government officials. Such an incredible demand can only come from a bizarre ally like the United States.

Picture of the sea area affected by the explosion of the "Beixi" pipeline in September 2022

History and reality have repeatedly proven that cooperation is a historical trend, and win-win is the aspiration of people. Only when countries follow the path of the world can they ensure world security and peace. We advise the US intelligence community to think more about today's China and the world, and not to immerse themselves in the obsession and misconceptions of moving against the current. All so-called "strategies" to hate and contain China can only be illusory and unrealistic, and ultimately end up throwing stones at their own feet.