Recapturing U.S. Grand Strategy: Shaping Iraq Success with Post- Conflict Lessons from Europe and Japan; Master's thesis

摘要

The author observes that the military strategy for Iraq is not synchronized with the nation's grand strategy. To realize synchronized strategies one must look to the past and, in particular, to the United States' dealings with post-World War II Europe and Japan. This paper begins with an overview of U.S. grand strategy by examining definitions of strategy and grand strategy along with articulations of grand strategy since 11 September 2001. Next the author reviews pre-Iraq planning by the Department of State and the Department of Defense followed by a review of economic theory and the role economics has played in the growth of political freedom. Following this baseline on strategy, planning, and economics is a review of U.S. plans for post-World War II Europe and Japan that reveal cause and effect relationships within the grand strategy implemented at the time. Closing out the paper is an examination of the economics-security nexus and recommendations for recapturing U.S. grand strategy.