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The Stresses of Modern War 51

growing military capabilities of China may eventually alter this dynamic, it
is unlikely that the United States will face a credible challenge from a peer or
near-peer enemy nation in the near future. On the contrary, the power of the
United States has been successfully confronted in the past by nonpeer nations
(e.g., Vietnam and Somalia) and is now challenged in Iraq by opponents who
employ rudimentary technology to fight in unconventional ways that challenge

our high-technology force. As a result, American war fighters must endure the

multiple unique stresses associated with an unfamiliar type of warfare against
an enemy whose followers are quite willing to defy conventional rules of war.
A potentially useful vision of the future has been aptly described as
the “three-block war” (General Charles Krulak, USMC; Krulak, 1999). In
this scenario, the U.S. military forces continue to be engaged in operations
similar to the current war in Iraq and are trained and well-prepared to engage

flexibly and as needed in conventional high-intensity combat, peacekeeping
and stability operations, and humanitarian or nation-building projects. In

Iraq, the boundaries between these activities frequently blur or shift with the
passage of mere moments or with the taking of a few steps between zones of
operation. Consequently, there is a clear and pressing need for fl exibility and
adaptability that must now be emphasized and integrated as a key aspect of
military training and preparation. In his commentary on the three-block
war scenario, General Krulak emphasizes that under the real-time glare of
constant news coverage, strategic success may well depend upon the actions
of very junior service members. Decentralized by design, the three-block war
would moot traditional distinctions among strategic, operational, and tactical
levels. In conventional conflict, great ends require great means (i.e., military

power on a grand scale) whereas in the three-block war, these same great ends
might be achieved by seemingly trivial means. For example, a dusty, remote
checkpoint that is manned by just a few low-ranking soldiers could very well
be the stage for a military drama whose strategic consequences are broad and
significant. For example, television images showing U.S. soldiers mistakenly

opening fire on a car full of unarmed civilians who did not understand their
order to stop could trigger widespread protests and undermine efforts to win

the cooperation of the general population necessary to establish long-term
security and stability.

The three-block war scenario tends to push power “down” the tra-
ditional hierarchy. It requires that leadership, initiative, judgment, and
courage be exercised by virtually everyone, at all times, anywhere and
everywhere within the broad zone of combat. This pervasive and profound

extension of responsibility implies a host of concomitant potential and
actual stresses, resilience to which will necessitate training and prepara-
tion. If service members are properly prepared and oriented to cope with
the demands and expectations of military service, they may be better able

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