2 April 2013
For half a century, deterrence was the backbone of the U.S. national security strategy. While it has applied deterrence to Russia, it failed to do so against Iraq and Iran, and has been confused about applying it to China.
Deterrence isn't what it used to be. In the second half of the twentieth century, it was the backbone of U.S. national security. Its purpose, logic, and effectiveness were well understood. It was the essential military strategy behind containing the Soviet Union and a crucial ingredient in winning the Cold War without fighting World War III. But in recent decades, deterrence has gone astray, and U.S. defense policy is worse for the change.
Foreign Affairs
