As if America would be dragged into that
So you don’t have the technology or economic resources to take on America in a big decisive war for all the marbles. What do you do? Something like this, perhaps, as imagined in 1997:
Bashing The Laser Range Finder With a Rock
The United States has global commitments and interests which will come into conflict with hostile nations or groupings. These nations or groupings may choose, if necessary, to challenge the United States by blunting its technological edge. They might do this in four ways: first, by hosting the confrontation in a locale where trained infantry, rather than technological wizardry, is the decisive factor; second, by equipping the force with a select number of “off-the-shelf” technological systems that negate or seriously disrupt the US technological advantage; third, by matching US armed force with an economic, media or social counter; fourth, by accepting an asymmetry in casualties in order to gain a protracted conflict.
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A third major problem is that the US is planning for a war of annihilation and developing the force structure, equipment and doctrine to support such a war. The US traditionally planned for rapid wars of annihilation, but has usually ended up in protracted wars of attrition. Only the Mexican War, Spanish-American War and Gulf War have succeeded as US wars of annihilation. Should the US get involved in a future war and manage to win it by annihilation, all is well and good, and the US faith in a quick and decisive victory through the RMA will be justified. If, however, the US plans for a war of annihilation but the enemy manages to preserve its combat power and converts the war into a protracted war of attrition, the US loses the advantages of a small, professional army as casualties mount, the size of forces required to continue the war increase, and reserves and other forces must be mobilized or drafted.
