Why Is The American Military Losing Its Edge?

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visit Fort Stewart. (White House photo)

The Economist: Why America's military is losing its edge

AMERICA'S ability to project power on behalf of its own interests and in defence of its allies has been the bedrock of the rules-based international order since the end of the second world war. Critical to that effort has been the role of technology in maintaining a military edge over potential adversaries through the first and second “offset strategies”. In the 1950s it offset the Soviet Union’s numerical advantage in conventional forces by accelerating its lead in nuclear weapons. From the late-1970s, after the Soviets closed the gap in nuclear capability, America began making investments in emerging technologies that led to the ability to “look deep and shoot deep” with precision guided munitions. For the next quarter of a century American military dominance was assured.

Now, that decisive military edge is being eroded. Why?

WNU Editor:The U.S. military still has "the edge". But it is also true that as other countries develop their economies to match the U.S. .... and spend just as much money on defense and security related industries and technologies .... the day of US military dominance will probably soon come to an end. I give it another 20 years.