SMA Invited Perspectives Series: The American Psyche in a Newly Competitive Era- Some Initial Reflections

SMA Invited Perspectives Series: The American Psyche in a Newly Competitive Era- Some Initial Reflections

Authors | Editors: Wyne, A. (RAND); Canna, S. (NSI, Inc.)

Executive Summary

In this invited perspectives paper, Mr. Wyne cautions that the construct of “great-power competition” should not substitute for a coherent national strategy oriented toward desired steady states, and that an excessive focus on competition as an imperative unto itself could lead the United States into errors of overcommitment. Mr. Wyne questions how much policy guidance emerges from oft-stated objectives such as remaining the world’s foremost power or maintaining the current postwar order. The lack of strategic clarity along with the anxiety inherent in preeminence make the United States vulnerable to asymmetric tactics of manipulation. Mr. Wyne concludes by exploring specific aspects of “great-power competition,” including Sino-Russian relations and US-China competition in the Asia-Pacific.

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