In The Big Stick, prize-winning scholar Eliot A. Cohen argues that hard power must remain the linchpin of American foreign policy. Effective statecraft requires the integration of military means with political purpose. When the United States is not the guarantor of global order, old habits and old forms of violence will reappear, and have begun to do so already?from the ascendancy of China, to nuclear proliferation, to the predations of ISIS. To combat these threats, Cohen proposes concrete solutions such as a larger navy, better long-range aviation, a revitalized nuclear arsenal, and a more aggressive cyberwarfare strategy.
If the United States fails to maintain its position as a strong military power, Cohen argues, we jeopardize the global order and risk unleashing a fury of violence that will persist for generations.
