NAVAL STATION PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — In his first major speech as Pentagon chief, Lloyd Austin called for developing a “new vision” for American defense in the face of emerging cyber and space threats and the prospect of fighting bigger wars. Reflecting President Joe Biden’s promise to put diplomacy first in dealing with foreign policy problems, Austin said the military should provide leverage that diplomats can use to prevent conflict. “U.S. military isn’t meant to stand apart, but to buttress U.S. diplomacy and advance a foreign policy that employs all instruments of our national power,” Austin said. He spoke at Naval Station Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
