Categorical confusion? : the strategic implications of recognizing challenges either as irregular or traditional /

Strategic theory should educate to enable effective strategic practice, but much of contemporary theory promotes confusion, not clarity, of suitable understanding. A little strategic theory goes a long way, at least it does if it is austere and focused on essentials. Unfortunately, contemporary stra...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	Gray, Colin S.
Corporate Author:	Army War College (U.S.). Strategic Studies Institute
Format:	Government Document eBook
Language:	English
Published:	Carlisle, PA : Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, [2012]
Series:	SSI monograph.
Subjects:	Psychology, Military > Armed Forces > United States. Operational psychology > Armed Forces > United States. Strategy > Armed Forces > United States. Concepts > Armed Forces > United States. Meaning (Psychology) > Armed Forces > United States. Military art and science > Armed Forces > United States. Irregular warfare > Armed Forces > United States. Military doctrine > Armed Forces > United States. Security, International.
Online Access:	https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo19459

Description
Summary:	Strategic theory should educate to enable effective strategic practice, but much of contemporary theory promotes confusion, not clarity, of suitable understanding. A little strategic theory goes a long way, at least it does if it is austere and focused on essentials. Unfortunately, contemporary strategic conceptualization in the U.S. defense community is prolix, over-elaborate, and it confuses rather than clarifies. Recent debate about irregular, as contrasted allegedly with traditional, challenges to U.S. national security have done more harm than good. Conceptualization of and for an operational level of war can imperil the truly vital nexus between strategy and tactics. In much the same way, the invention of purportedly distinctive categories of challenge endangers the relationship between general theory for statecraft, war, and strategy, and strategic and tactical practice for particular historical cases. It is not helpful to sort challenges into supposedly distinctive categories. But, if such categorization proves politically or bureaucratically unavoidable, its potential for harm can be reduced by firm insistence upon the authority of the general theory of strategy.
Item Description:	Title from PDF title page (viewed on February 27, 2012). "February 2012." Electronic resource.
Physical Description:	1 online resource (ix, 59 pages).
Bibliography:	Includes bibliographical references (pages 50-59).