Thucydides observed in his history of the Peloponnesian Wars that one of the pri­mary motivators of Athenian foreign policy was 'interests' (Robinson 1957: 71). This remains as true in the twenty-first century as in ancient Greece. As a result, modern policymakers would all agree that the national strategy of any country must focus on national interests and be built on three variables. First, what are the 'ends' of strategy or the goals that the nation is trying to accomplish alone or in concert with friends and allies that further their interests? Second, what are the 'ways' or policies that are formulated in order to move the nation in the direction of a better future? Finally, what are the 'means' or resources available to the govern­ment of any nation that can be devoted to securing these objectives, and how can they be husbanded in a fashion to maximize their potential?

Jeffrey McCausland is a visiting professor of International Security Studies at Dickinson College.

For more information on the published version, visit Routledge's Website.

McCausland, Jeffrey D. “Deterrence, the Twenty-First Century, and the 'Pivot.'” In The New US Strategy Towards Asia: Adapting to the American Pivot, edited by William T. Tow and Douglas Stuart, 53-73. New York: Routledge, 2015.

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