Conventional Coercion Across the Spectrum of Conventional Operations: The Utility of U.S. Military Forces in the Emerging Security Environment

The raison d'etre for any military is to deter an adversary from acting inimically to a nation’s interests or, if deterrence fails, to coerce him into ceasing the actions. After defining terms and reviewing the literature on coercion, this report looks at the utility of the military as a coercive instrument. The authors analyze cases that provide insights into conventional coercion. They conclude by stressing the unchanged nature of coercion and that only a thorough understanding of our adversaries, and of our own will and capabilities, will yield a successful coercive strategy. (DS)