James H’s Reviews > The Edge: Is the Military Dominance of the West Coming to an End? > Status Update

As countries acquire nuclear weapons they do not necessarily buy complete immunity from Western military action, but they do move into a category in which a major confrontation would be possible only in the most extreme circumstances of National survival.

The Obama Policy

Avoid protracted action, avoid state opponents wherever possible and conduct strikes against the type of irregular or terrorists groups that might attack Americans.

In some ways a UAV is the exact opposite of a procurement like the F-35: it was bought quickly and very cheaply to do a defined job in a benign environment.

On maintaining capabilities.

A full set of clubs was no longer affordable for small or medium-sized European countries. Of course, that’s all very well until a country finds itself metaphorically in the bunker with only a putter and a driving iron at its disposal.