US Action During the Cold War - 1027 Words

The United States from the Cold War and into the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) continues to face challenges in translating military might into political desires due to its obsession with raising an army, electing politicians and assembling a diplomatic corp that continue to gravitate towards State-to-State engagements that if not rectified could lead to substantial delays in fighting terrorism and non-terrorist adversaries or worse total failure of the United States Military’s ability to properly carry out it’s politicians objectives due to being blindsided. Although focusing on State-to-State actions met President Reagan’s intent of bringing down the Iron Curtain through the build up of military might, enhanced nuclear power and†¦show more content†¦The very politicians and diplomats that enable the new Domocratic state will also limit the military to the minimum necessary. According to Dr. Gardner in his lecture Clausewitz believed the maximum milita ry effort would be based on a combination of â€Å"diplomacy and the amount of military force to adequately achieve it†. I contend that our nations focus on fighting as a State and forming States that resemble ours those very same politicians and diplomats would be hesitant to due what is truly needed to stop a negative force such as Communism or Terrorism. After Desert Storm Saddam Hussein was allowed to stay in power from 1991 till 2003 when the US led forces to remove him from power (Hawkins pg 309). This apprehension to take difinitive action is not unique to the United States, but as Hawkins points out was evident in the Roman Empire some 1,300 years ago when it shifted from moderations(limited war) to full war. F.J. Bing West highlights the need to go All-in versus achieve the maximum with minimal cost which is the American position of late (pg 393). State-to-State engagements are suited for Full Wars, but the current GWOT is being fought as a limited war primaril y in 3-4 states globally. challeng 3: focused primarily on State level levers to influence a State created blind spots due to Americans tendency to view the world through their own lens. Post-Cold war ethnic, religious and political strifeShow MoreRelatedPost-Cold War US Foreign Policy1417 Words   |  6 PagesPost-Cold War US Foreign Relations The Cold War and its ending with the dismantling of the Soviet Union and a great reduction in the threat of communism as a competing system to capitalism and democratic governance changed the focus of US foreign policy. The change did not happen overnight and has ebbed and flowed significantly across time, often associated with the nature of foreign conflicts and US involvement in them but change it did (Saull, 2007, p. 180). 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