Studying Strategy:

Traditional, Classical and Modern Approaches

Syed Muhammad Ali Dimensions of Modern Strategy Lecture 3

National Defence University

2011

What is Strategy?

Why strategy is made?

Who makes strategy?

Defining Strategy
Strategy is the use of engagement for the object of War (Clausewitz) Strategy is the practical adaptation of the means placed at a generals disposal for the attainment of the objects in War (Von Moltke) Strategy is the art of distributing and applying military means to fulfill the ends of policy (Liddell Hart) Strategy is the art of the dialectic of two opposing wills using force to resolve their dispute (Andre Beaufre)

Strategy: Traditional Approach

War (Clausewitz) Generals - War (Von Moltke) Military Means Liddell Hart Using force Dispute (Andre Beaufre)

Strategy: Analyzing the origins..

Definitions of Clausewitz, Von Moltke, Liddle Hart and Andre Beaufre are all narrow, as they defined strategy in terms of a relationship between military force and War objectives. Origins: The word Strategy is derived from the Greek term for Generalship. ORIGIN late 15th cent. (originally denoting a military ploy): from French stratagme, via Latin from Greek stratgma, from stratgein be a general, from stratgos, from stratos army + agein to lead.

Differentiating Traditional from the modern..

Traditional Strategic thought reflected a hard power/military-centric approach, which focused more on tactical and at most operational strategy and use of military power for that purpose, confined both in terms of time and space of the physical battlefield. Considered political actions and processes as irrelevant or un-necessary to the objects of war.

Strategy: The Modern Approach

Taking Strategy beyond Conventional Warfare
A. Considers military capability (hard power) one of various means available to the leadership to achieve policy objectives, beyond the phenomenon of conventional warfare. (Role of nuclear weapons)

B. Redefines the relationship between politics, diplomacy and the use of power rather than merely kinetic force (at domestic, national and international levels) C. Growth in non-traditional military roles and involvement of political leadership in strategic affairs, which were traditionally considered as entirely military domain.

Strategy: The Modern Approach

Reinforcing and in some cases Substituting Hard Power with Soft Power
D. Non-combat roles for military such as humanitarian role, UN Peacekeeping missions, rescue and relief efforts after natural disasters, Pak militarys role in Operation Gulf Storm etc.
E. Interchanging roles of civil-military: Employing Hard power through civilian organization and soft power through military. Compare CIAs role (civilian organization) vs US militarys role in Pakistan after 2010 floods, legality of use of force, Abbottabad operation.

F. More direct co-relation between Industrialization and warfare. (Growing role of technology and economy, both in terms of means and ends of warfare)

Strategy: The Modern Approach

Synergizing not just capabilities but also the political will Cohesive goals-setting, policy-making process and system
G. Necessitated closer civil-military cohesion for strategic planning in terms of national security policy, means and goals, requiring review and re-defining of civil-military relationship. (NSC, NCA, US Overseas nuclear weapons deployment policy etc.) H. Appreciation of a broad range of dimensions of warfare(e.g; Deterrence, dissuasion, compellence, embargo, Nokinetic warfare, ECM/ECCM/EW, Psy Ops, Strategic Communications, propaganda, Public diplomacy, role of media and social-networking tools, Cyber Warfare, Space militarization/HUMINT/ELINT/HAARP etc. Chinese, Iranian nuclear plant examples.)

Strategy: The Modern Approach

New Options, New challenges I. Role of diverse elements of power (both Hard & Soft, identify a few) J. MORE OPTIONS: Created more time, space, opportunities and policy options for the leadership in terms of the pursuit of national interests K. MORE CHALLENGES: RCT/Cost-benefit analysis incorporated costs not earlier recognized (e.g; political cost, political image at local, national and international levels, voters reaction, status, credibility, international diplomatic support, economic implications, allies/ major powers likely posture, position and possible reaction)

Strategy: The Modern Approach

Redefining Power beyond military force

Strategy is ultimately exercising power (Gregory D. Foster)

about

effectively

Strategy must now be understood as nothing less than the overall plan for utilizing the capacity for armed coercion in conjunction with economic, diplomatic and psychological instruments of power to support foreign policy most effectively, by overt, covert and tacit means. (Robert Osgood)

Modern Strategy: A Plan/Process

Strategy is a plan of action designed in order to achieve some end; a purpose together with a system of measures for its accomplishment. J.C. Wylie Strategy is a process of constant adaptation to the shifting conditions and circumstances in a world where chance, uncertainty and ambiguity dominate. W.Murray and M. Grimslay

Strategy: Far more than the study of wars and military campaigns
The theory and practice of the use, and threat of use, of organized force for political purposes. (Gray, 1999)

Post-Clausewitzean Thought:
Strategy: From an extension to an essential component of Policy

The separation of strategy and policy can only be achieved to the detriment of both. It causes military power to become identified with the most absolute application of power and it tempts diplomacy into an over-concern with finesse (Kissinger, 1957)

Modern Strategy involves understanding, incorporating and efficiently utilizing all of the following considerations and factors..
Time Weapon systems, their capabilities and vulnerabilities Personnel, their capabilities and limitations Psychology Sociology Geography Technology Tactics Force structure Economics Politics

Strategy: A Theory of Action determining why, when and where to act and how?
Strategic Theory is a theory of action How to do it? Intellectual aid to official performance -Bernard Brodie

Modern Approach:
An Inter-disciplinary Approach
Strategic studies, although dealing with military power has no clear parameters in terms of a specific discipline of study. It heavily relies upon: Arts Science Statistics Mathematics Social Sciences

Some of the greatest strategic thinkers had nothing to do with military careers
Herman Kahn Physicist Halford John Mackinder - Geographer Thomas Schelling Economist Albert Wholstetter Mathematician Henry Kissinger Historian Bernard Brodie - Political Scientist John Keegan, Colin S. Gray, Lawrence Freedman are all Social Scientists

Bernard Brodie
Strategy as Science: Taking strategy beyond tactics and technology Proposed A Methodological and Scientific Approach to Strategy similar to Economics

20th Century Civil-military strategic debate

1940-1980: Civilian strategists dominate the strategic affairs debate Post-1980: Realization that academics were overlooking the capabilities and limitations of military units and operations in their analysis. Combining civilian and military thoughts, traditions and processes: If Strategy is to integrate policy and operations then it must be devised by not only be politically sensitive soldiers but also military sensitive civilians. -Richard K. Betts

Evolution of Multi-Dimensional Strategic thought

Strategy consisted of moral, physical, mathematical, geographical and statistical elements. (Clausewitz) Social, logistical, operational, technological dimensions of strategy. (Michael Howard)

A holistic Contemporary Approach

Strategy consists of a broad, complex, pervasive and inter-penetrating set of dimensions, focusing on people, society, culture, politics and ethics, economics, logistics, organization, military administration, information, intelligence, strategic theory and technology and their role in operations in which command is exercised over all of the above, against a certain adversary, in a certain geographical and time constrained environment of friction. The study of strategy is incomplete if it is considered in the absence of any of these inter-related dimensions - Colin Gray

Political Science

International Relations

Security Studies

Strategic Studies

Conclusion
Everything in Strategy is very simple but that does not mean that everything is very easy. - Clausewitz, On War

Modern Strategy: A Personal Perspective

Modern Strategy: Approach A multi-disciplinary

A cohesive, co-ordinated and dynamic effort, time and Cost-Effective exercise, synergizing the entire spectrum of the elements of national power, in the pursuit of collective national interests.