The West has forgotten the art of strategy China and Russia are the new grandmasters

[rangerrebew]

 

The West has forgotten the art of strategy China and Russia are the new grandmasters

'The West did have a strategy once, which is what put us into the position of superiority in the first place.' Hisham Ibrahim
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Wolfgang Munchau
June 16, 2025   6 mins
World-class chess players know the difference between strategy and tactics better than politicians do. To win in chess you need to start with a strategy — a long-term plan that gets you to a position of superiority. Then you close in with a sequence of tactical moves. As Max Euwe, the Dutch chess grandmaster of the 1930s, once observed: “Strategy requires thought. Tactics require observation.”

The West is all tactics. The East is mostly strategy. You need both because even the most brilliant short-term moves do not add up to a strategy. Just look at the history of US military intervention since World War II. Each of them had their short-term rationale, even Iraq. But has it made the US safer? Has it made the world safer? Has it brought democracy? Has anyone become more civilised as a result?

Israel’s strike against Iran is a classic case of a trade-off where a short-term tactical manoeuvre is bought at the expense of a weaker strategic position in the long run. I am not the first commentator to observe that Israel’s attack against Iran will succeed tactically, possibly with sensational success, but it will not stop Iran’s nuclear weapons programme. Any future Iranian strategic planner will logically conclude from the last series of attacks that Iran absolutely needs the bomb. Other countries in the region might too. Ukraine’s biggest regret is having agreed to give up its Soviet-era nuclear weapons. Had the country kept them, Putin would never have attacked.

https://unherd.com/2025/06/the-west-has-forgotten-the-art-of-strategy/?tl_inbound=1&tl_groups%5B0%5D=18743&tl_period_type=3&us

[rangerrebew]

Is he suggesting wokeness isn't a military strategy?

[jafo2010]

A purely nonsensical article.  Israel is fighting for basic survival.  If Iran gets nuclear weapons, they will use them on Israel.  They will not sit on them like the nations that have them, as a deterrent tool.

Iran is committed to the destruction of Israel and the death of every Jew.  Frankly, if I were the leader of Israel, I would have nuked Iran long ago.  Israel has roughly 90 nuclear weapons.  If Iran gets nuclear weapons, they will use them, killing 1 million or more Jews.  What happens next?  Israel retaliates with 20 nuclear weapons dropped on the 20 largest cities in Iran.  Yeah, that makes perfect sense.  I am sorry, I do not agree with that weak minded American/western stance.

We have lost the proper mindset of what to do with a would be enemy.  When you have a nation state threatening to destroy your nation and kill your people, I believe you have the right to use any means necessary to destroy said enemy.  And I do mean kill every last one of them if necessary.

If Israel does not level Iran, then they will continue with their nuclear program.  And I say cut off the head.  Kill all the civilian leaders in Iran.  You don't think Germany/Japan would have killed Roosevelt or Churchill given the opportunity?  They absolutely would have done so.

The USA should give Israel everything they need to end the nuclear program in Iran.  I say Lend Lease 3-6 B-52s and the bombs necessary to end the nuclear program in Iran for the next five years.  They will not quit their nuclear program unless they are all dead.  Unfortunately, that will not happen until Israel has a nuclear weapon detonate on their lands.  Then, and only then, will they take the action they should have taken a long time ago.