A Security Nexus paper by Army War College Fellow, Lt. Col. Jeffery C. Higgins, argues for the urgent need for Strategic Clarity in the U.S.’s approach to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) amid intensifying global power competition.

Titled “Strategic Clarity: An Argument for Effective Deterrence,” the paper warns of a looming military conflict due to the United States’ current policy of Strategic Ambiguity, which the author critiques as increasingly ineffective and counterproductive.

Lt. Col. Higgins underlines that a lack of coherent communication in the U.S.’s deterrence strategy has led to the PRC’s emboldened stance and generated uncertainty among U.S. allies in the region. This ambiguity has inadvertently contributed to escalating tensions and could potentially lead to a costly, unwanted military conflict.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the DKI APCSS or the United States Government.