Introduction
The history of humankind has been filled with conflicts on both local and global levels. The United States has participated in many consequential battles, including the Cold War against the Soviet Union (Bunn 2007, 2). However, the main problem is the modern governments’ willingness to start new quarrels. One must remember that interstate war and warfare do not stop and continue affecting numerous people (Gray 2010, 12). For instance, the US may be threatened by such actors as Russia or China and terrorist organizations, including al Qaeda and Hezbollah (Bunn 2007, 3). Accordingly, this paper’s purpose is to determine ways to help the US face potential confrontations. In particular, the major themes concern changes that shape contemporary war and strategy, like space and cyber combat (Gray 2010, 11). Three guiding principles for preparing the US for future conflict should focus on deterrence, cybersecurity, and space power.
Deterrence
The first principle the US should embrace is “Deterrence comes before the war.” While not being an innovative method, deterrence is central to maintaining national security because the approach can prevent hostile actions (Bunn 2007, 1). Deterrence concentrates on manipulating the adversary’s decisions and can be quite efficient when tailored to different actors, including other states and terrorists (Bunn 2007, 2). However, one must consider that such a technique presents substantial challenges. Deterrence is a mind game that requires answering various questions, like the opponent’s leadership, culture, values, objectives, and readiness to take a risk (Bunn 2007, 3). Consequently, deterrence is both time- and resource-consuming process. For example, during the Cold War, the US put a lot of effort into understanding the Soviet Union and what may deter the country (Bunn 2007, 3). Nonetheless, the US would likely have to gather the same information if a conflict does happen but would also have to deal with the outcomes of the emerged confrontation. Therefore, the nation should concentrate on deterrence when preparing for future contests to prevent potential fights and have knowledge that can be used against opponents during battles.
Cybersecurity
The second principle the US should adopt is “Ongoing cybersecurity determines the course of the war.” The concept is proposed by the notion that all future combats will include cyber warfare (Gray 2010, 11). Notably, cybersecurity is closely connected to deterrence, even in the nuclear context (Cimbala 2016, 54). Accordingly, cybersecurity is crucial to maintaining national security because a digital aspect exists in the foreground of any attacks in terms of communication, control, and surveillance (Cimbala 2016, 54). For instance, some countries have already employed cyber powers against other governments. In particular, the targets are often web services and military defense systems, and the results cause degradation of protection capabilities (Cimbala 2016, 56). Moreover, cyber aggressions have multiple sources of invasion, can disrupt and confuse, and can continue for a long time without being detected (Cimbala 2016, 58). The US has already experienced a computer network attack that has led to major disruptions (Cimbala 2016, 56). Therefore, the US should pay more attention to the development of cyber power that can be utilized to prevent conflicts and enhance its cybersecurity to not let any adversaries endanger the nation’s safety.
Space Power
The third principle the US should embrace is “Space power establishes a protected future.” Gray (2010, 11) suggests that space warfare is inevitable due to advancements in military powers, science, and commerce. Consequently, space power is central to maintaining national security because such a force can improve the combat potencies of a country. For example, a significant attribute of space power is that it is discrete and does not attract much attention while being omnipresent on the battlefield (Sheldon and Colin 2011, 6). Accordingly, space systems can operate simultaneously in different parts of the globe, thus connecting military forces at various levels (Smith 2011, 43). Notably, one must consider that the primary form of combat in space is offense and that although defense is possible, security methods are still evolving (Smith 2011, 44). Nevertheless, space power presents a new set of tools with unique opportunities for confrontations (Smith 2011, 44). Therefore, the US should advance its space power to have more ways of protecting the nation in case preventative approaches would not be able to stop outside aggression.
Conclusion
To summarize, three guiding principles that can help the US prepare for future conflicts concern deterrence, cybersecurity, and space power, and they all are important for maintaining safety in the country. First, by concentrating on deterrence, the nation can prevent potential battles and have practical information that can be used against opponents if a confrontation happens. Without deterrence, it is likely that the government would need to obtain the same knowledge during a fight but with limited resources and the necessity to handle the consequences of combat. Second, by enhancing cyber security, the US can control adversaries’ attempts to disrupt its security and cause considerable damage. Third, by developing its space power, the US can have a substantial force to safeguard its people if the preventative methods do not prove useful enough. Overall, the three principles can prepare the US for conflicts by increasing the chances of both defense and offense.