The key factors of the US strategic culture

Abstract

The US strategic foreign and security action is fundamentally conditioned by the need to preserve and enhance its own political, economic, and especially military power and influence on the international system and to protect the vital national interests. The US strategic culture is primarily reflected in the following: the strong and persistent belief of the US political elites that the real and long-term security and prosperity of the US can be ensured solely by expanding, and in no way diminishing, its sphere of foreign policy influence; the clear and constant efforts of the US political elite to establish and maintain the US foreign policy position as an undisputed regional and global (military) hegemon; insisting on the unrestricted freedom of action and retaining the sovereign right to unilateral, offensive military action of the US in international disputes and in the event of a threat to its national interests; clearly stated intentions to act decisively, proactively and preventively (militarily) in counteracting potential threats to the US national security and interests, away from its shores, and before they are fully materialized; aspirations of decision-makers, political and military elites to find and implement simple and fast solutions to complex problems in the external environment; the almost complete absence of policies and strategies that involve the planning and conduct of wars with limited political objectives; a firm and undivided belief of the entire nation in the exceptionalism and "omnipotence" of the state, which in turn contributes to the development and preservation of the tendency of the US political elites to set unrealistic and maximalist goals before the nation and its foreign policy.

Keywords

• united states
• national identity
• strategic culture
• strategy