In Ukraine and the Middle East, only force can restore deterrence

News Snapshot:

By killing three U.S. reservists, Iran and its proxies have forced the questions of deterrence and escalation to the forefront of U.S. policymaking. However, these questions are not confined to the wars now roiling the Middle East, but apply equally to the war in Ukraine, Chinese threats of aggression against Taiwan and in the South China Sea and the increasing danger of a North Korean attack against South Korea. All of these threats are, to one degree or another, ripostes to our inadequate thinking about escalation and deterrence. The administration’s view is that Washington and its allies must avoid escalating...