Former Commander of the United States European Command said today there are key elements the U.S. needs to safeguard national security: the awareness of a jellyfish, the speed and agility of a cheetah, and the willingness to hold up that boulder like Greek mythological figure Sisyphus.
At ManTech’s TechShare 2024 in Washington, D.C., retired Adm. James Stavridis explained that the current evolving geopolitical threats call for the U.S. to be more tuned in to its surroundings, deliver critical capabilities at the speed of need, and have a willingness to act.
Government and industry leaders engaged in national security must understand and be aware of the current geopolitical environment it is involved in to ensure they can effectively safeguard national security, he said.
According to Stavridis, much like the neural network of a jellyfish, the U.S. government must be tuned in and aware of “the sea its swimming in.”
“A jellyfish knows the sea in which it swims. All of us, from investors to those of us physically engaged in national security, have to understand that sea we’re swimming,” Stavridis said.
This includes an understanding of the state of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity “at home and abroad,” he added.
Stavridis also explained that the world is moving at speed and the U.S. government —particularly the Defense Department and its allies — must be able to deliver capabilities at the speed of need.
“The cheetah is the fastest thing on earth. It goes zero to 60 miles an hour in two and a half seconds … [and] that tail allows the cheetah to turn its feet. It can deploy that tail to balance, so it doesn’t just go tumbling into the jungle. It is a classic example of the need for speed, but understand, you have to keep the system in balance,” he said.
Lastly, Stavridis explained that the U.S. government needs to be willing to act to safeguard national security against evolving geopolitical threats.
Stavridis concluded his keynote address with a story, the Greek myth of Sisyphus. In the myth the king was punished by the gods and forced to forever roll a boulder up a hill, yet he continued to push the boulder up the hill, despite it rolling back down each time.
“Wherever you are, whatever entity you are representing, and whether you’re part of the national security space, when that boulder rolls in, the question is, are you willing to put your shoulder to the stone again and again in the service of this security,” he concluded.
