U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis has begun the process of rebuilding the United States Armed Forces, which will now be targeted at better combating high-end foes such as China and Russia through the application of more and deadlier military force.

In a directive addressed to Department of Defense budget planners on Jan. 31, Mattis indicated his objectives, which included actions addressing immediate readiness shortfalls, and adding more military personnel in the coming years, among others.

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According to Mattis' directive, the main aim of this re-building is to "build a larger, more capable and more lethal joint force." This deadlier U.S. military will be shaped and guided by a new national defense strategy, said Mattis.

Mattis' defense strategy overhaul will be in full swing from 2019 to 2023. This re-arming calls for an increase in the force size of the U.S. military. Equally important, it will enhance the U.S. military's lethality against China and Russia.

Mattis wants to "grow the force quickly, but responsibly," according to his directive.

Mattis' rebuilding push will also devote more resources to defeat ISIL faster. It's also directed against a "broad spectrum of threats," which means other terrorist groups.  

More resources will also be available to the U.S. military to either maintain or enhance its presence in other parts of the world such as the South China Sea and Eastern Europe where the U.S. has vital strategic interests.

After the 2018 federal budget is approved by Congress, Mattis wants to focus on buying weapons whose stocks have been depleted; boosting the U.S.' overall military force structure and fixing important facilities that need upgrades or have fallen into disrepair.

Mattis has previously called for boosting U.S. naval power by building more warships and deploying more advanced technologies in light of Beijing's increasing and unrelenting aggression in the South China Sea.

"While our efforts in the Pacific to keep positive relations with China are well and good, these efforts must be paralleled by a policy to build the counterbalance if China continues to expand its bullying role in the South China Sea and elsewhere," he said.

Mattis once said China must be denied "veto power" over the territorial claims, security and economic conditions in the Pacific.

He also called on the United States, especially the Congress, "to adapt to changing circumstances, to come out now from our reactive crouch and take a firm, strategic stance in defense of our values."

Congress must play a key role in developing this "refreshed national strategy" that will guide the military forward as it faces down the United States five greatest threats: Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and Violent Extremist Organizations (VEOs).

TagsDefense Secretary James Mattis, china, Russia, department of defense, South China Sea, United States Armed Forces