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How is America's military supremacy fading? Last time I checked we still have plenty of nuclear weapons

fosk 11y ago
Military supremacy means being able to effectively project power around the world. The article states that this capability is declining.
- fredgrott 11y ago
  US nukes was a response at the time late 1940s early 1950s to the reality that adversaries had armies in the millions.. As the US Air and Navy became more powerful in projecting power our nuke weapons became somewhat ineffective..which explains why we signed SALT I and SALT II treaties to reduce nukes.. But even today those with millions of soldiers in armies still lack the air power and naval power to project that powerful army...
- jonnathanson 11y ago
  Correct. The author also draws a distinction between "supremacy" and "superiority." The former means an overwhelming and almost unchecked ability to impose our will militarily across the globe. The latter means a comparative advantage over our would-be competitors. We are exiting an anomalous and short-lived period in history in which we enjoyed supremacy, and we are entering a period in which we will likely enjoy superiority. This is a relative decline, not an absolute decline.
  - venomsnake 11y ago
    Will US have superiority though? The pentagon has the uncanny ability to re-fight the last war. Why is F-35 even existing - you could raise a 100 drones for the price of each (or a 1000 with economy of scale) and just saturate any defense. And you couldn't care less if you lose 99% of them if the objectives are met.
    - jtriangle 11y ago
      Their reasoning is that f-35 is nuclear capable, whereas the current drones aren't officially. It's not a good reason though, if it came down to it, subs with nukes would be more effective than aircraft.
classicsnoot 11y ago
After the Syrian Red Line and the Invasion of Crimea, very few regimes around the world feel like the US is capable of dropping the hammer. Once your kid figures out that your post-modern pop-psychology prohibits you from actually disciplining them, it is only a matter of time before your instruction and reproof transmogrifies into Schultzian Honking. Once upon a time, America was a bully with smart friends. But we let those smart friends convince us that our bully tendencies where the problem. I wonder what the thought leaders in Liberal Europe will have to say about chinese hegemony.

fosk 11y ago

Military supremacy means being able to effectively project power around the world. The article states that this capability is declining.

fredgrott 11y ago
US nukes was a response at the time late 1940s early 1950s to the reality that adversaries had armies in the millions.. As the US Air and Navy became more powerful in projecting power our nuke weapons became somewhat ineffective..which explains why we signed SALT I and SALT II treaties to reduce nukes.. But even today those with millions of soldiers in armies still lack the air power and naval power to project that powerful army...
jonnathanson 11y ago
Correct. The author also draws a distinction between "supremacy" and "superiority." The former means an overwhelming and almost unchecked ability to impose our will militarily across the globe. The latter means a comparative advantage over our would-be competitors. We are exiting an anomalous and short-lived period in history in which we enjoyed supremacy, and we are entering a period in which we will likely enjoy superiority. This is a relative decline, not an absolute decline.
- venomsnake 11y ago
  Will US have superiority though? The pentagon has the uncanny ability to re-fight the last war. Why is F-35 even existing - you could raise a 100 drones for the price of each (or a 1000 with economy of scale) and just saturate any defense. And you couldn't care less if you lose 99% of them if the objectives are met.
  - jtriangle 11y ago
    Their reasoning is that f-35 is nuclear capable, whereas the current drones aren't officially. It's not a good reason though, if it came down to it, subs with nukes would be more effective than aircraft.

classicsnoot 11y ago

After the Syrian Red Line and the Invasion of Crimea, very few regimes around the world feel like the US is capable of dropping the hammer. Once your kid figures out that your post-modern pop-psychology prohibits you from actually disciplining them, it is only a matter of time before your instruction and reproof transmogrifies into Schultzian Honking. Once upon a time, America was a bully with smart friends. But we let those smart friends convince us that our bully tendencies where the problem. I wonder what the thought leaders in Liberal Europe will have to say about chinese hegemony.