'The Risk…Is Not Winning.'
By Chad Williamson
April 14, 2025
It’s rare for a four-star general to speak in such stark, unscripted terms. But when the commander of our nation’s elite special operations forces (SOF) sounds the alarm on deterrence, modernization, and the future of irregular warfare—we should listen. Carefully. Not with partisan ears. Not through budget spreadsheets. But through the sobering lens of a strategic horizon being reshaped not by missiles, but by messages.
"There is a void out there that’s not being filled by our message," testified General Bryan Fenton before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Fenton’s testimony pulled back the curtain on a growing reality that in the cognitive domain—where perception, narrative, trust, and truth collide—the United States is not keeping pace. Our adversaries are not just advancing on physical terrain, they are contesting the information space with speed and sophistication.
The general's refrain—"small teams, small footprints, big impact"—captures the asymmetry of the modern battlefield. U.S. Special Operations Forces operate in 80 countries not to dominate but to connect, partner, and amplify. The value of these engagements is not just in capability-building, but in trust-building. And trust, as Fenton reminded the committee, is the true currency of enduring power.
But in today’s budget environment, even that currency is at risk.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2025/04/14/the_riskis_not_winning_1103765.html
