POL 502A - International Strategy

Policy and strategy development is perhaps the most critical function of the national security apparatus. The results of the policy process provide the blueprint for the array of agencies and departments that execute U.S. national security. Strategy can be narrowly defined in military terms or expanded into grand strategy integrating all of the elements of national power (Diplomatic, Information, Military, Economic, Finance, Intelligence, Law Enforcement). A review of classic strategists including Clausewitz and Sun Tzu will build a foundation upon which modern strategists like Mao Tse-Tung and Schelling add insurgency and nuclear game theory. This course will examine the definitions of policy and strategy, survey the structure and players at the top of the U.S. national security system, and provide the analytical tools for strategy development. Finally, the course will examine the strategy behind the Cold War containment of the Soviet Union and contrast it with the War on Terror strategy which has had suboptimal results. Throughout the course, students will work together as an interagency team to develop a strategy that addresses a current U.S. national security issue. Leveraging an understanding of the nature of strategy and the structure of the national security system, students will build practical experience culminating in the presentation of their strategy.