American grand strategy in an age of terrorism

• Main Author: Brooks, Paul T.
• Other Authors: Arquilla, John
• Format: Others
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Subjects: Strategy; International relations; Economics; Diplomacy
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/2851

More than four years after the September 11 attacks, it is time to reexamine the state of American grand strategy to identify possible refinements to improve synchronization, resource allocation and policy execution at all levels. This research examines U.S. grand strategy to determine the nation's plan for employing five instruments of national power: diplomatic, informational, military, economic, and law enforcement. It develops seven fundamental features of a grand strategy, and compares thirteen national strategy documents to these fundamentals to determine areas for future refinement. The study uses a brief analysis of national responses to the IRA, Sikh militants, and Hezbollah in Lebanon to illustrate these features in action. The study concludes by proposing a series of steps to refine America's grand strategy as well as a framework to integrate instruments of national power in the struggle against transnational terrorism.