Panel: Partnerships as a Pacing Item
Strategic competition is a contest not just of will, technology, alliances, and arms races – it is a competition for influence. Influence has a human face and relates to population dynamics and governance. Modernly, influence is far less about the words we say, or in getting others to do for us what they otherwise might not do; rather influence is about how our actions are perceived, be that to deter those who seek to disrupt a rules-based order or be it to provide hope and inspiration to those who see their interests served by the same. The panelists will provide insights into how SOF’s emphasis and investment in people yields value in strategic competition. These leaders will also discuss the criticality of Special Operations Forces’ unique multi-domain capabilities that provide asymmetric options for the nation in the competition for influence among rival great powers.