1. Making Strategy

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

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

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

5. Definitions
Strategy—The art and science of coordinating the development, deployment, and employment of military forces to achieve national security objectives

6. Definitions
Doctrine—A statement of officially sanctioned beliefs, war-fighting principles, and terminology that describes and guides the proper use of military forces in support of national objectives
How a job should be done
Evolves from experience and theory
Authoritative, but unlike policy, not directive

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. National Objectives Major interests—Affect our national well-being
May use force…not normally necessary
Peacekeeping operations
Reconnaissance missions

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

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

13. SSG pg. 97

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

15. Grand Strategy Players
President
Congress
National Media
Interest groups/Public opinion

17. Current Military Strategy
Strategic Objectives
Achieving Our Objectives
Managing Risk

18. Current Military Strategy
To support the NSS and provide enduring security for the American people, the Department has five key objectives:
Defend the Homeland
Win the Long War
Promote Security
Deter Conflict
Win our Nation’s Wars

19. Current Military Strategy
We will achieve our objectives by…
Shaping the choices of key states;
Preventing adversaries from acquiring or using WMD;
Strengthening and expanding alliances & partnerships;
Securing US strategic access and retaining freedom of action; and,
Integrating and unifying our efforts

20. Current Military Strategy
Managing Risk
Operational
Future Challenges
Force Management
Institutional

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

23. 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

24. 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

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

27. 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......

29. 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

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

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

32. QUESTIONS?