Science, Strategy and War The Strategic Theory of ... - Boekje Pienter

Morally-mentally-physically isolate adversary from allies or any outside support as well asisolate elements of adversary or adversaries from one another and overwhelm them by beingable to penetrate and splinter their moral-mental-physical being at any and all levels.From this perspective the nexus of military strategy and grand strategy comes into view,which involves other sources of power, national public support, ideology, etc. Or put in thequestion Boyd asks his audience: ‘How do we connect the tactical and strategic notions orthe theme for disintegration and collapse with the national goal?’ Again Boyd provides theanswer: ‘via a sensible grand strategy that will’:Support national goal.Pump-up our resolve, drain away adversary resolve, and attract the uncommitted.End conflict on favorable terms.Ensure that conflict and peace terms do not provide seeds for (unfavorable) futureconflict 124 .In Boyd’s view grand strategy first and foremost must be an appealing idea, or set ofobjectives and interests, which inspires and unites the populace as well as allies and theuncommitted. Grand strategy is directly related to, and should be a function of, the primenational goal, which Boyd earlier regarded as a Darwinian drive to improve the fitness of thenation to survive in the dynamic environment. The essence of grand strategy for Boyd is to:Shape pursuit of national goal so that we not only amplify our spirit and strength (whileundermining and isolating our adversaries) but also influence the uncommitted or potentialadversaries so that they are drawn toward our philosophy and are empathetic toward oursuccess.Grand strategy should therefore be designed on the basis of:An appreciation for the underlying self-interests, critical differences of opinion, internalcontradictions, frictions, obsessions, etc., that we as well as the uncommitted and anypotential or real adversaries must contend with 125 .Strategy as a mode of behavior. Boyd then presents the combined set of prescriptionsconcerning the modes of behavior that favor success and survival on the various levels in ahierarchical order 126 .National GoalImprove fitness, as an organic whole, to shape and cope with an everchanging environment.Grand StrategyShape pursuit of national goal so that we not only amplify our spirit and strength (whileundermining and isolating our adversaries) but also influence the uncommitted or potentialadversaries so that they are drawn toward our philosophy and are empathetic toward our success.124 Ibid, p.138-39.125 Ibid, p.140.126 Ibid, p.141.223