Exploiting Western Political And Economic Advantages In The Competition With Russia (From RealClearDefense)

It is a mistake to view the current struggle between Russia and the Western allies primarily as a military competition. Certainly, in view of the Kremlin’s willingness to use force to resolve political conflicts along its periphery, attention must be paid to NATO’s ability to deter Moscow. But if Russia is denied the possibility of a quick, low cost military campaign, then the competition will be decided on other battlefields. It is in these other domains that the U.S. and its allies have the advantage and are likely to prevail. Much needs to be done by the U.S. and its allies to ensure that they have sufficient military capabilities to deter Russia. However, even more, will be required in order to win on the central battlefields of the current competition: information and economics. I discuss some ideas about how the West can leverage its competitive advantages for RealClearDefense here.