A Failure of Strategic Vision: U.S. Policy and the Doklam Border Dispute

A Failure of Strategic Vision: U.S. Policy and the Doklam Border Dispute

Link to Full Text

Download Full Text

Description

This commentary analyzes the 2017 Doklam border standoff between China and India (with Bhutan) through the lens of U.S. strategic policy. The author argues that U.S. reactions to the crisis reflected a lack of clear strategic vision regarding China’s rise and Asian security dynamics. Rather than shaping events with a cohesive strategy, Washington responded with reactive rhetoric and limited policy tools, failing to influence outcomes or reinforce alliance confidence. The article explains how the Doklam dispute underscored the shifting balance of power in Asia, tested regional security architectures, and exposed shortcomings in U.S. policy frameworks regarding great-power competition. It concludes that the United States must articulate a more coherent strategic approach toward China and regional allies to maintain credibility and effectively manage future crises in the Indo-Pacific.

Document Type

Article

Topic(s)

Strategic Competition, National Security, Defense Policy

Region(s)

Asia, China, India

Publication Date

9-6-2017

Keywords

Doklam, U.S. policy, strategic vision, China, India, Bhutan, border dispute, Indo-Pacific security, strategic competition, great-power relations, Asian security, U.S.–China relations

A Failure of Strategic Vision: U.S. Policy and the Doklam Border Dispute

Share

COinS