America still fighting the cold war in an era of global terrorism

Abstract

Purpose

The Second World War and the cold war led to a revolution in military affairs, but this article seeks to question whether the USA is equipped to respond to future conflicts in an age of global terrorism.

Design/methodology/approach

The article considers recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the tactics of terrorist groups, to explore how America's military forces should adapt to future needs, particularly in terms of technology and strategy.

Findings

The USA faces a military dilemma. The force numbers and the technology mix needed to cope with terrorist and insurgency warfare are currently insufficient. However, the overall US budget is too high, and defense expenditures are one of the principal causes.

Originality/value

Contributes to the debate on countering global terrorism.

Citation

Baker Schaffer, M. (2006), "America still fighting the cold war in an era of global terrorism", Foresight, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 3-9. https://doi.org/10.1108/14636680610656147