Hearts & Minds That Matter Most: Maintaining American National Will

摘要

The national will of the United States, and other democratic nations, is far more vulnerable today than in the past. Changes in society and technology have allowed enemies to adapt. The character of war has evolved into a more unorthodox type of warfare; one that uses transnational networks and information age technology to conduct guerrilla tactics, terrorism, and psychological warfare against vastly more powerful nations on a scale never seen before in history. Adversaries avoid conventional military engagements, exploit democratic vulnerabilities, and directly target national will in the attempt to slowly influence a long-term shift in that will. It is imperative for the U. S. government and the American people to understand this threat and find a strategy to maintain national will in the face of a determined foe. This monograph outlines eight specific recommendations for sustaining national will: (1) only employ military force when there is a significant threat or vital national interests involved; (2) understand, through thorough analysis, all of the potential costs of war; (3) establish political and military objectives that are nested, realistic, and worth the potential costs; (4) use the 'forces' necessary to accomplish the set objectives; (5) educate the public, frame the issues, and mobilize the nation into a united war effort that is commensurate with the scope of the conflict; (6) manage the expectations of the American people; (7) achieve durable bipartisan political consensus that marginalizes negative rhetoric; and (8) actively engage the media to provide information and context, and ensure standards are met while nurturing a lasting symbiotic relationship.