Making Strategy

“War is an extension of politics by other means.” - Carl von Clausewitz

Overview Definitions Doctrine National Objectives Grand Strategy Military Strategy Operational Strategy Battlefield Strategy Influences on the Strategy Process

Definitions Policy: Guidance that is directive or instructive stating what is to be accomplished Objectives and rules of engagement Mutable and often changes

Definitions Strategy: How operations should be conducted to accomplish national policy objectives. The continuous process of matching ends, ways, and means to accomplish desired goals within acceptable levels of risk. Originates in policy and addresses broad objectives, along with the designs and plans for achieving them.

Definitions Doctrine: Fundamental principles by which the military forces or elements thereof guide their actions in support of national objectives. Authoritative but requires judgment in application. Presents considerations on how to accomplish military goals and objectives. A storehouse of analyzed experience and wisdom

Doctrine Common frame of reference Shapes how AF organizes, trains, equips, and sustains Prepares us for future uncertainties Used with judgment Political, economic, or social situation may dictate departure from doctrine

National Objectives The fundamental aims, goals, or purposes of a nation toward which a policy is directed, and efforts & resources are applied Three Levels of Interest Vital Major Peripheral

National Objectives Vital Interests: Broad, overriding importance to the survival, safety, and vitality of our nation State is not willing to compromise on State is generally willing to go to war to protect

National Objectives Major interests: Affect our national well-being May use force but not normally necessary Peacekeeping operations Reconnaissance missions

National Objectives Peripheral Interests—Our nation may act because our values demand it Response to disasters Human rights violations Environmental protection

National Objectives Interests are often intertwined Vietnam? Kosovo? Iraq? Afghanistan?

National Objectives Grand Strategy

Grand Strategy Development & use of ALL national power instruments and the coordination of these instruments Diplomatic Information Military Economic

Grand Strategy Players President Congress National Media Interest groups/public opinion

National Objectives Grand Strategy 3. Military Strategy Political Strategy 3. Military Strategy Economic Strategy

National Military Strategy Prepared by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) Consistent with the most recent: NSS The most recent QDR With “any other national security or defense strategic guidance issued by the President or the Secretary of Defense.”

US Military Strategy Process POTUS National Security Strategy (NSS) Addresses US interest, goals, and objectives SecDef National Defense Strategy (NDS) Articulates the “ends” DoD pursues for NSS CJCS National Military Strategy (NMS) The military “means” for national objectives DoD conducts Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR)

National Military Strategy Consist of four distinct elements: Force Employment Where would forces be employed? Against whom would forces be employed? Force Development What needs to be done? Where it needs to be done? How it needs to be done?

National Military Strategy Force Deployment Time Vulnerability Flexibility Coordination of Actions Synchronizing force employment, development, and deployment to defeat the most pressing emerging threats

National Objectives Grand Strategy Political Strategy 3. Military Strategy 4. Operational Strategy Economic Strategy

Operational Strategy The art and science of planning, orchestrating, and directing military campaigns within a theater of operations to achieve national security objectives

Operational Strategy What does it do? Levels of operational strategy Links the national level concerns of military strategy with battlefield concerns of tactics Levels of operational strategy Combined campaigns Joint campaigns Component campaigns

Operational Strategy Orchestration of all military efforts in the theater Goal is to win the theater war Achieve the military objective Military objective contributes to the achievement of a political objective (remember the WAR lesson?)

5. Battlefield Strategy (Tactics) National Objectives Grand Strategy Political Strategy 3. Military Strategy 4. Operational Strategy 5. Battlefield Strategy (Tactics) Economic Strategy

Battlefield Strategy (Tactics) The art and science of employing forces on the battlefield to achieve national security objectives

Battlefield Strategy Dynamic level of operations Difficult to talk about in general terms Nuclear war Operations other than war Conventional war Space war Information war Urban warfare Desert war The list goes on......

National Objectives Grand Strategy Political Strategy Threats Domestic politics Physical environment Economics Technology Influences on Process Political Strategy 3. Military Strategy 4. Operational Strategy 5. Battlefield Strategy (Tactics) Economic Strategy Leadership Culture/society International politics Geography Doctrine Fog, friction, chance Influences on Process

Points to Remember… National objectives drive the process Protect/achieve vital national interests Grand Strategy incorporates and/or coordinates all the instruments of national power…not just military Military Strategy supports national objectives Must support higher (grand) strategy Operational and Battlefield Strategy must be flexible Several influences on the strategy process

Summary Definitions Doctrine National Objectives Grand Strategy Military Strategy Operational Strategy Battlefield Strategy Influences on the Strategy Process

“If the world is to have ONE superpower, thank God it is the United States of America.” - Gen Khalid, Saudi Arabia

QUESTIONS?