A New U.S.Maritime Strategy for the Twenty-first Century Viewed from an Institutional Perspective (original) (raw)

In Admiral Michael G.Mullen’s introduction to Sea Power for a New Era, we find all the elements that provide clear guidelines to his subordinates—that is, the U.S. Navy—of his vision and what he expects from his institution. When we examine his paper, some questions inevitably arise as to the method used to set such an important and fundamental strategy. If a strategy has objectives, alternative ways, and means, it is apparent, without discussing which of these elements is the most important, that objectives must come from the superior level, which means in this case, from the politico-strategic realm. Likewise, it is this superior level that—if it has set the objectives—must provide the means to accomplish them; further, if those means are going to be put to use, that higher level should be the one that authorizes their use.