The traditional mind-set of warfare must change; the era of colossal armies clashing with one another is over (“Military superiority fading, analyst says,” Nation, Thursday). U.S. defense spending accounts for 41 percent of the world’s total. The United States spends $79.6 billion on research and development alone. This amount for research is greater than all other nations’ defense budgets, with the exception of China.
Asia’s rise as an economically significant region will lead to changes in the global economy, but it is doubtful that this fact will increase the likelihood that there will be large conventional battles in the future. Irregular warfare strategies should be our focus, as these are the conflicts in which we currently are engaged. An example of an effective approach to defense spending was the cancellation of the F-22 Raptor for the more malleable F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a more cost-effective and flexible alternative.
The world is aware of the technological superiority of America’s military. The United States should focus on concluding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. This should be of more paramount importance than the anticipation of another conventional Cold War.
KEVIN DOBILES
Research assistant
National Defense Council Foundation
Alexandria
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