US Military Urged to Prioritize Strategic Influence Over Kinetics

Four years after a seminal 2019 warning, experts are doubling down on calls for the U.S. military to rethink its core concept of lethality. Analysts argue that the Department of Defense's near-exclusive focus on kinetic destruction—finding and destroying enemy targets—has left it lagging behind rivals who prioritize influence-driven strategies. These adversaries have reshaped global political dynamics at minimal cost, while the U.S. pours vast resources into traditional warfare with diminishing