The New Maritime Strategy: A Lost Opportunity

Abstract

America is in a New Era that began over a decade and a half ago with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Like all new eras in history, this one brings with it both new threats and new opportunities. For the United States to protect and advance its national interests and assure its survival, it must adapt to change and put in place a national strategy that will meet these new challenges. It is important that this new national strategy be supported by a comprehensive military strategy as well. One element of the military strategy should be a maritime strategy that provides for the most effective employment of maritime forces within a joint force strategy. A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower (October 2007) is the latest in a series of attempts to do so. Unfortunately, like the national strategy publications to which it makes reference, the latest maritime strategy attempts to be all things to all people and therefore fails the test for any realistic and viable strategy. It reads more like a public affairs document developed at town meetings. Even a declaratory strategy requires several major elements if it is to be taken seriously.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA519358

Entities

People

  • William T. Pendley

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

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

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Asia
  • Coast Guard
  • Cold War
  • Deterrence
  • Europe
  • Governments
  • Homeland Security
  • Human Trafficking
  • Military Strategy
  • National Security
  • Northeast Asia
  • Security
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • Ussr
  • War Colleges
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Readers

  • Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies
  • Strategic Security Studies