America’s global leadership faces unprecedented tests as authoritarian regimes grow more aggressive across Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and the Middle East. We must stand united with the world’s strongest coalition of democratic nations to confront these threats. However, the strength of this alliance depends on more than statements and symbolism. It demands action and an American resolve backed by real capability.
The battlefield today extends far beyond land, air, and sea. We are already at war in the cyberspace. These attacks don’t always make front-page headlines, but they are constant, deliberate, and increasingly more damaging. The United States has faced a growing barrage of cyber intrusions from China and other foreign adversaries. These cyber-attacks, while harmful to all Americans, also serve as preparation for potential future conflicts, allowing our adversaries to test and refine their capabilities against our systems.
China’s Volt Typhoon operation is just one example of ongoing threats to America’s most essential civilian infrastructure. It has targeted power grids, water systems, transportation networks, and communication platforms, with the explicit intention of establishing access that could disrupt or paralyze us in a future crisis. These actions are not theoretical but are happening now, in real time, across the systems Americans rely on every day.
We must stand united with the world’s strongest coalition of democratic nations…
Last month, Lieutenant General William Hartman, Acting Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and Performing the Duties of Director of the National Security Agency, testified before the Cyber Subcommittee, of which I serve as Chairman. Gen. Hartman noted our service cyber components have only recently attained foundational readiness. Foundational readiness has a particular meaning, and the fact that it took us more than a dozen years to reach this point is not something to celebrate. I’m encouraged we’re finally beginning to close the gap, but foundational readiness alone is not enough. If we want to succeed in the cyber domain, we need much more.
Our forces are gathering strong cyber intelligence but are usually constrained by overly restrictive rules of engagement. In many cases, they are forced to sit on valuable information because they lack the authority to act. We cannot keep absorbing punches without the ability to punch back. We cannot deter future attacks if our adversaries believe there are no consequences. Cyber Command must be empowered to act and defend effectively when necessary.
Meanwhile, Russia remains a clear and persistent threat to both our and European security. Putin’s demands that NATO withdraw from the Baltics reveal the true scope of his ambitions. A Russian victory in Ukraine would embolden authoritarian leaders worldwide and directly threaten the international order that has underpinned decades of relative peace and prosperity.
China is also watching Ukraine very carefully. The lessons Beijing draws from the battlefield in Europe will shape its decisions in the Indo-Pacific. If the United States wavers in its support for Ukraine, it sends a dangerous message that America can be outwaited or outlasted. That kind of signal would be deeply destabilizing, especially for Taiwan.
We are far behind and must act now to ensure Taiwan has the tools and systems it needs to defend itself. The time to prepare is before, not after, an invasion. Taiwan doesn’t need American troops on the ground. It requires the means to hold the line while the world responds. Failing to provide that support would invite exactly the kind of crisis we hope to avoid.
In the Middle East, Iran continues to support terrorism and fuel instability through a vast network of proxies and militias. When I served in Iraq, I saw the consequences firsthand. Iranian-backed groups were responsible for the deaths of more than 600 American service members. Today, that same regime provides weapons and support to groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which carry out brutal attacks against Israeli civilians.
… the strength of this alliance depends on more than statements and symbolism. It demands action and an American resolve backed by real capability.
Over the weekend, the State of Israel conducted precision strikes on Iran’s nuclear weapons program and military leadership. Despite repeated warnings, the Iranian regime has recklessly accelerated its progress toward development of a nuclear weapon.
Following the recent vote by the United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Agency which found Iran to be in non-compliance of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran inexplicably announced its intent to deepen its willful breach of the treaty by constructing a third nuclear enrichment facility.
These events, combined with its existing stockpile of highly enriched Uranium and recent weapons development efforts, constitute a credible threat to U.S. citizens and interests in the region and an existential threat to Israel. While I regret it came to this point, Israel’s actions are necessary and justified. The United States must stand with Israel by demanding Iran’s complete, immediate, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization and by re-imposing President Trump’s maximum pressure policies on the Iranian regime until this is achieved.
American leadership isn’t free. It comes with a cost, risk, and responsibility. But the cost of retreat is far greater. History has taught us that time and again. That means strengthening our conventional military, investing in cyber capabilities, supporting our allies, and making clear that America will continue to lead. The choice is clear. We must lead.
Don Bacon represents the 2nd District of Nebraska in the U.S. House of Representatives. A Member of the Armed Services Committee, he serves as Chairman of the Cyber, Information Technologies and Innovation Subcommittee. He previously spent nearly 30 Years serving in the U.S. Air Force, retiring in 2014 as a Brigadier General.