security and needlessly antagonized Russia. obligations in ways that did little for U.S. Three major events affected my thinking-the enlargement of NATO to include the former vassal states of the Soviet Union, the war in Kosovo, and the war in Iraq. The purpose of this book is to explain why this grand strategy works poorly and to offer an alternative grand strategy and associated military strategy and force structure. Since the collapse of Soviet power, it has pursued a grand strategy that can be called Liberal Hegemony, which is unnecessary, counterproductive, costly, and wasteful. The United States has grown incapable of moderating its ambitions in international politics. nuclear attack submarines: proposed force structure Persian Gulf oil production and proven reservesĨ. Capabilities of the principal Asian statesħ. Capabilities of the principal European statesĥ. Distribution of global capabilities, 2011Ĥ. nonnuclear force structure: proposed and actual, 1997–2013Ģ. Command of the Commons: The Military Strategy, Force Structure, and Force Posture of Restraintġ. The Struggle with Al-Qaeda and the Enduring Risk of International Terrorismģ. Nuclear Weapons: Dilemmas, Dangers, and Opportunities
The Geopolitical Interests of the United States The Strategic Position of the United States Introduction: The Evolution of Post–Cold War U.S. global access through naval, air, and space power, while freeing the United States from most of the relationships that require the permanent stationing of U.S. His alternative for military strategy, which Posen calls "command of the commons," focuses on protecting U.S. He works with a deliberately constrained notion of grand strategy and, even more important, of national security (which he defines as including sovereignty, territorial integrity, power position, and safety).
military strength.Īfter setting out the political implications of restraint as a guiding principle, Posen sketches the appropriate military forces and posture that would support such a strategy. In contrast to the failures and unexpected problems that have stemmed from America’s consistent overreaching, Posen makes an urgent argument for restraint in the future use of U.S. Written for policymakers and observers alike, Restraint explains precisely why this grand strategy works poorly and then provides a carefully designed alternative grand strategy and an associated military strategy and force structure.
Since the collapse of Soviet power, it has pursued a grand strategy that he calls "liberal hegemony," one that Posen sees as unnecessary, counterproductive, costly, and wasteful. Posen argues in Restraint, has grown incapable of moderating its ambitions in international politics.