GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

Returning to the Bedrock of U.S. Strategy

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Philip Bobbitt
Board of Contributors

Nov 17, 2015 | 20:42 GMT

U.S. Marines with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, RCT 2nd Battalion 8th Marines Echo Co. step off in the early morning during an operation to push out Taliban fighters on July 18, 2009 in Herati, Afghanistan . The Marines met no resistance during the operatoin. The Marines are part of Operation Khanjari which was launched to take areas in the Southern Helmand Province that Taliban fighters are using as a resupply route and to help the local Afghan population prepare for the upcoming presidential elect

U.S. Marines with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, RCT 2nd Battalion 8th Marines Echo Co. step off in the early morning during an operation to push out Taliban fighters on July 18, 2009 in Herati, Afghanistan . The Marines met no resistance during the operatoin. The Marines are part of Operation Khanjari which was launched to take areas in the Southern Helmand Province that Taliban fighters are using as a resupply route and to help the local Afghan population prepare for the upcoming presidential elections.

(JOE RAEDLE/Getty Images)

Every strategy involves many players, at least some of whom are dedicated to disturbing the plans of the others. We defend our interests, but we can't defend them everywhere. We plan against the likeliest threats, so our adversaries attack where our defenses are weakest and an attack is least expected. Thus the nature of conflict, as Sir Michael Quinlan once observed, is surprise....

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