Ep. 241
The RAND report “Extending Russia: Competing from Advantageous Ground” explores various nonviolent strategies the United States could employ to challenge Russia. These measures aim to stress Russia’s military, economy, and political standing, both domestically and internationally. The report analyzes geopolitical, economic, ideological, informational, air, space, land, and multi-domain approaches. It assesses the potential benefits, costs, risks, and likelihood of success for each proposed measure, considering Russia’s anxieties and vulnerabilities. The study emphasizes creating competition in areas where the U.S. holds a competitive advantage to cause Russia to overextend itself. It acknowledges potential blowback and the need for careful calibration to avoid unintended consequences or escalation.