RAND refuse to scrutinize the bedrock of modern US foreign/domestic policy: Russia bad, China bad, Iran bad, NORK bad — must be owned — US good, Israel good — must own everything.
That said, it seems to me that the intellectual lag time in USG — between, for example, when key realities such as all elements of national power and need for a US General Staff (also here) become emergent and when they burst into consciousness — is at minimum five years and partial, and withal, stacked on top of the untouchable, deep-mud bedrock rather than allowed to highlight that and its non-load-bearing properties.
The United States have no authority in the domestic affairs of other nations and expect other nations to reciprocate by not feigning authority in our domestic affairs. The United States have interest in the lines of communication running between The United States and all other nations. We expect ourselves and other nations to bear fairly the burden of keeping those lines open, safe, reliable, fair, and clean for use by all nations.
Principle II
The United States welcome comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era with our brother nations India and Russia, for correlation, coordination, and promulgation, from their perspectives, of the ground of statecraft set forth in Principle I and urge China and Brazil to join us for that endeavor and commitment.
Principle III
An order to deploy which lacks or frustrates intent to compel an enemy to sign a declaration of unconditional surrender is an unlawful order by the Rules of Just War, the Conventions of War, Common Sense, and the Spirit of America. An order to deploy conveys this intent to the Commanding Officer: win this war / battle in a timely manner at the lowest possible cost to yourself and your enemy or do not come back alive.
