Second-Area Operations: A Strategy Option.

Abstract

American defense analysts have recently displayed new interest in a strategic option that invokes a potential for conducting nonnuclear, limited-objective operations in areas remote from the central theaters currently of greatest concern to the United States--Europe and Southwest Asia. This study addresses the proposition that the United States should be prepared both to counter and, if advisable, to exploit a strategy that involves military actions in areas of the world apart from the central theater of a war or major power confrontation. The main issue is to what extent and under what conditions an investment in such military actions constitutes a useful strategy. Having the capability is a useful deterrent; deciding how or when to use it hinges not on the attractiveness of the concept but on the calculated feasibility of bringing off a successful operation without evoling highly undesirable side effects. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1984
Accession Number
ADA142024

Entities

People

  • K. N. Lewis
  • M. A. Lorell
  • R. Perry

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Civil War
  • Economic Sanctions
  • Geography
  • Governments
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Organizations
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Motivation
  • Naval Warfare
  • Recreation
  • Second World War
  • Topography
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • Warfare
  • Western Europe

Readers

  • Strategic Security Studies