Page 23 - NAVAL SCIENCE 3 TEXTBOOK

28 NAVAl. KNOWl.EDGE

modified as conditions require. These principles are:
A concept of strategic nuclear sufficiency. r.lther than an
attempt to maintain nuclear superiority
A strong conventional capability, assisted by increased partici-
pation and improved defense capabilities of al1ied nations
Adequate peacetime general purpose forces for meeting a
major attack against our allies in either Europe or Asia and
helping with local contingencies sllch as terrorism as required
Smalier U.S. active forces, with greater emphasis given to their
readiness and modernization
Emphasis all a strong research .. md developmcnt program to
maintain our technological superiority
Security assistance for the defense needs of friendl}' nations
~vlccting the u.S. military needs with an all-\'olunteer active
force in all services and continued support of the resen'es
In the years following the terrorist attacks on the United States
in September 200 I, President George W. Bush del'eloped the so-
called BlisII Doctrille, which held among other things that the threat
to the United Stotes posed by terrorists who could be equipped
with modern weapons of mass destruction is so severe thilt it jus-
One of the major issues confronting new Pre,sident Barak Obama as
tifies preemptive attacks upon them and any countries harboring he took office in early 2009 was the U.S. strategy with respect to
theIll. Although controversial, the new doctrine was used in part to international terrorism. Here, he is shown delivering a major address
to Marines at Camp Lejune, North Carolina, concerning the future
justif)' the invasions of Afghanistan in 2001, and Iraq in 2003.
conduct of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Michael Ayotte)
However the}' Illay continue to evolve, all these principles are
based all a fundamental truth that all persons concerned with grand
stratem' must recognize, regardless of their politic .. ll persuasion: mil- Deterrence of aggression requires the capability and resolve to
itary power has become a major bargaining chip in international prevail at any level of conflict. so that potential adversaries will con-
relationships. Inferiority in any '1I"ea becomes a critical weakness, sider their own risks to be unacceptable. This means that our mili-
which can be exploited by an)' actual or potential adversary. tary forces must be able to respond effectively to .my contingenc)l.
from showing the flag and combating pirac)' to retaliating against
U.S. Military and Maritime Strategy nuclear i.ltti.1ck. This flexible respol/Se may involve strategic or theater
nuclear forces and gel1ef<11 purpose forces. In order to respond in a
The national military strategy of the United Stated today
timely manner and extend our defense perimeter as far as possible
includes three principal elements: deterrence, flexible response.
from our shores requires a forward strategy of maintaining a signifi-
and forward strategy.
cant portion of our forces on deploYJllcllt overseas, both at sea and
in forcign ports and bases.
Ln 2007 the chief of naval operatiolls and commandants of
the Marine Corps and Coast Guard issued a joint document, A
Coopemtil'c Strategy for 21 sl Celltlll)' SrapolI'cr, that sct forth a new
comprehensive u.S. maritime strategy for the rest of the twenty-
first centur),. The first docllment of its kind to be isslled jointly
by all three maritime services, it reaffirms the importallce of the
traditional elements of forward presence, deterrence, sea contro\,
and power projection to our naval stratcS}', and adds to them two
more critical elements: maritime securit), and humanitarian assis-
tance/disaster response. The /1/aritillle sewrity element emphasizes
the importance of international cooperat ion to maintain freedom
of the seas, and the JllmllHlitnrinll nssistmlcclnisaster respollse ele-
ment stresses the importance of participation in international and
Seabee personnel construct a six-room schoolhouse in Maroni,
Camoros, in support of the humanitarian assistance element of U,S. domestic relief eflorts when natural disasters occur, such as the
maritime strategy as set forth by the chiefs of the maritime services
in 2007. (Ken neth Fidler)