Some thoughts from my new book “Shields of the Republic” for @ambassadorbrief 1 / 11
-practice forward defense (meeting threats overseas)
- deter conflict &
- assure and influence allies (bringing them along with preferred U.S. policies) 2/11
- No U.S. ally was ever the victim of attack
- Management of many Cold War crises
- limiting nuclear proliferation
- helping transform wartime rivals, Germany & Japan into democracies & thriving economies
- buying the US political goodwill 3/11
The US spent a bit more on defense than allies:
- it did this by choice – to influence allied polices &
- spending isn't comparable -US has a global defense posture, where allies have regional postures 4/11
- China is trying to cleave US allies from US protection with its A2/AD approaches
- Russia is trying to demonstrate to NATO that it can’t defend its eastern flank 6/11
bookshop.org/books/shields-…