Experience vs. New Thinking

One of the components of the presidential campaign is a debate about the value of experience vs. new thinking.

Those who value experience may wish to glance at the study "Towards a Grand Strategy for an Uncertain World: Renewing Transatlantic Partnership" (link below). Written by a group of distinguished, now retired NATO generals (Naumann -- Germany , Shalikasvili -- US, Inge -- UK, Laxande -- France, van den Breemen -- Netherlands), it comes up with recommendations for grand strategy that include pre-emptive nuclear first strikes and regrets that Israel was hampered in its 2006 war against Hezbollah because of the latter's willingness to act outside the norms of Westphalian warfare.

Readers may reflect on whether, if this is what experience produces, perhaps the time has come for some new thinking.

The document may be found at:

http://www.csis.org/media/csis/events/080110_grand_strategy.pdf