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Pentagon says confronting Iran now tops terrorism concerns

As the Pentagon shifts its focus from terrorism to competing against China and Russia, the US military will also look to counter nations that are deemed hostile, such as Iran.
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US Defense Secretary James Mattis today outlined a new vision for the Pentagon that seeks to counter Iran and other nations that the United States accuses of pursuing a world order aligned with authoritarian values.

The new National Defense Strategy envisions America’s military focusing on combating authoritarian ideals rather than the protracted global war on terror. The announcement comes as the Donald Trump administration has made clear in recent days that it plans to keep 2,000 US troops in Syria indefinitely to help usher in a political process to replace President Bashar al-Assad and confront Iranian influence in the country.

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