War with China, not with terrorism?
Big-time strategic thinker Colin Gray serves up an ambitious article in the new issue of Parameters, discussing the 21st century security environment. He begins with some good common sense about the futility of trying to discern the future. “The challenge is to cope with uncertainty, not try to diminish it,” he cautions. I like this ...
Big-time strategic thinker Colin Gray serves up an ambitious article in the new issue of Parameters, discussing the 21st century security environment. He begins with some good common sense about the futility of trying to discern the future. “The challenge is to cope with uncertainty, not try to diminish it,” he cautions. I like this point because it underscores the necessity of adaptability as a key principle of building, training, and educating our military leaders. (Hat Tip to Yingling and Nagl.)
Then, in an effort to outline the security environment, Gray leaps into a nervy bit of globe-twirling. These are the three comments that really struck me:
Warfare is quite likely between China and America over Taiwan, though not about Taiwan.”
Too many people have become unduly fixated on the challenge posed by terrorism. …Terrorism does not threaten our civilization, but our over-reaction to it could do so. …Compared to interstate conflict, terrorism-even terrorism armed with weapons of mass destruction-is a minor menace.”
NATO-Russian relations are an accident waiting to happen.”
I have found Parameters pretty dull in recent years, but it appears to be coming back to life. Next I’ll read, and probably blog, the article by Shawn Brimley on strategy in an age of transition.
Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images
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