A Lack of Grand Strategy

The United States is at a crossroads of fiscal austerity with an unclear grand strategy. The result leaves the joint force in a state of fluctuation in the future of America's national security. Recently the Executive branch of the U.S. government produced a document that further muddies the waters of the national security strategy. Senior U.S. security officials refer this document titled "Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for the 21st Century Defense," as defense strategic guidance versus a national strategy, but its declaration of a rebalance to the Pacific is being treated as an update to the national security strategy in both the Department of Defense as well as the State Department. This paper argues while this document is being treated as an update to America's national security strategy; it is flawed from the basis of foundational strategy theory. Furthermore, the U.S. does not have a viable national security strategy and as a result, U.S. foreign policy has become reactive in nature when operating in the strategic environment. This paper offers a possible grand strategy that will continue to keep the United States a preeminent world power.