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Restored Balance of Power => US Military Operations Evolving Toward a Modern Variation of 19th Century Intervention Operations, at least in Near Term.
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Increased Focus on Littorals (within 100 miles of sea), Where Most of World’s People, Wealth, Commerce, Instabilities, and U.S. Interests are Concentrated |
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Decreased Need for Large Standing Land/Air Forces (=> A Big Shift to Reserves) |
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Decreased Need for Heavy Naval Forces Configured for Global War at Sea and Heavy Bombing (=> Shift to Sea & Air Control in Littorals to Support Interventions) |
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Still Need Intervention & Extraction Capabilities to Protect Lives, Property, Commerce, & Other Interests (=> Evolution Toward Higher Speed, Lighter Forces, Configured for Autonomous Operations in Hostile Regions) |
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Rise of 4th Generation Warfare => Increased Need for Irregular Warfighting Skills/Capabilities in Close Quarters Combat & Small Unit Operations Among State/Non-State Actors
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Decreased Reliance on Firepower/Attrition in Ground Warfare |
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Decreased Reliance on Deep Strike/Interdiction/Strategic Bombardment of “Infrastructure” in Air Warfare |
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Increased Reliance on Fast-Transient Littoral Penetration Opns, Infowar Opns, Special Forces Opns, Pol-Mil Opns, Counter-Drug/Anti-Terrorist/Anti-Nuc Opns, and Increased Occurrences of Urban/Suburban Combat |
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Increased Resource Constraints - Growing Internal Competition for Resources
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E.g., Need To Fix Decaying National Infrastructure & Pay For An Aging Population |
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