July 23, 2026

Guns AND Butter: How SOF’s enduring relationships provide value for the Joint Force

The United States’ most significant advantage against its adversaries in the competition space is its allies and partners, who have become more vulnerable to adversarial influence. U.S. allies and international partners have increasingly succumbed to (and even welcomed) partnerships under China’s Belt Road Initiative (BRI) or arms sales with Russia. The battle to seize control of narratives in the information and human dimension will be paramount to maintaining the U.S.’ competitive advantage.