Great Responsibility Demands a Great Navy
The responsibilities the United States has taken on require it to build a Navy capable of managing them.
By James Holmes
February 2021
Proceedings
Vol. 147/2/1,416
The American Sea Power Project
Ben Parker bestowed some sage advice on his nephew, Peter, when he said: “With great power comes great responsibility.â€1 But Peter Parker (better known as Spider-Man) had it easy, despite the otherworldly menaces he often faced. He came by his superpowers through a quirk of fate and could rely on them always to be there when he needed them. The superhero could take on extraordinary responsibility for battling crime without wondering whether he had enough power to fight the good fight. He knew he did.
Presidents, diplomats, and military officers have no such luxury. The converse of Ben’s adage holds in world politics—with a twist: “With great responsibility must come great power.†The must indicates that there is no guarantee national leaders will have enough power on hand to attain their purposes—just the opposite. Political and military leaders are not superhuman. If their societies are to shoulder great responsibilities, they must develop great power through conscious and diligent labor.
Marshaling and husbanding economic, military, and diplomatic power is work that never ends. Fail at this central mission of statecraft, and aspirations will outrun the resources needed to make good on them. The national project could come to ruin.
https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/february/great-responsibility-demands-great-navy
