Defense strategy & policy

Driven by rising temperatures and melting ice, the vast Arctic region is changing—and so are the military priorities of the United States and its two biggest adversaries: Russia and China.

ONLINE EVENT – How true is the truism that the United States possesses the world’s strongest military? While many in Washington and beyond worry about the military rise of great-power rivals like China, Christian Brose makes the provocative case that the United States is already lagging behind in the military competition because it has for years invested billions of dollars in expensive and vulnerable ships, planes, and other military platforms.

Reviewing the Trump administration’s current China strategy, Marine Corps University Assistant Professor Nathan Packard and Forward Defense Senior Fellow Benjamin Jensen advance points of convergence and divergence, while examining critical flaws.

On June 1, Defense One published an article by Scowcroft Center Director Barry Pavel titled: “The Coronavirus is Raising the Likelihood of Great-Power Conflict.” The article addresses the intensifying military operations in the western Pacific and warns of potential escalation if efforts are not calibrated carefully.

ONLINE EVENT – This virtual event features a discussion of great-power competition among the United States, China, and Russia, and a consideration of themes from Dr. Matthew Kroenig’s new book, “The Return of Great Power Rivalry: Democracy versus Autocracy from the Ancient World to the US and China.”

In his latest report, Distinguished Fellow Franklin D. Kramer suggests a strategic approach of “managed competition” to meet the full spectrum of challenges posed by China, including economic and innovation, diplomatic and influence, and security, both hybrid and conventional military.