Read the information and answer the question. The Department of Defense describes its mission as safeguarding U. S. national interests, some of which include: • protecting the sovereignty, territory, and population of the United States • ensuring freedom of the seas, including the security of international lines of communication, airways, and space • ensuring access to key markets, energy supplies, and strategic resources • preventing and, if necessary, defeating aggression against U. S. allies and friends Which statement BEST describes each of these responsibilities? A. They matter less during peacetime than in times of war. B. They change each time a new secretary of defense is appointed. C. They are important to the country’s welfare and security. D. They can only be achieved through the use of military action.