Five Reasons America’s Rivals Are Catching Up In Military Technology (From Forbes)

There is growing concern in the Pentagon that potential adversaries such as China and Russia are chipping away at America’s lead in military technology.  However, a close look at why this is happening suggests that the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves (to quote Shakespeare).  First of all, the U.S. chronically under-funded military modernization for two decades before President Obama took office, and his administration has continued that pattern.  Second, the administration has discouraged the kind of risk-taking in military acquisition vital to achieving technological breakthroughs.  Third, there has been a decided preference for welfare programs over warfare programs since Mr. Obama took office.  Fourth, the administration has failed to counter Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property and blatantly mercantilist trade policies that erode U.S. competitiveness in new technology.  Finally, the Obama team exhibits a fundamental lack of imagination about the security challenges America might face — the kind of imagination that might spur military innovation.  I have written a commentary for Forbes here.