The Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict

by Elbridge A. Colby

The formation or sustainment of alliances between the United States on the one hand and regional states on the other is a natural method of addressing this problem. This tendency may lead to the formation or sustainment of multiple alliances, including interconnected ones and even a single, fully integrated alliance. But it need not result in a single, interconnected alliance for an anti-hegemonic coalition to succeed. Not all members of the coalition need to be allies for it to be effective. Nor do all members of the coalition that are allies need to be allied with one another. These points are particularly important with regard to Asia for several reasons. First, an effective anti-hegemonic coalition may contain allies (including quasi-allies, those that are also recipients of US security commitments), nonallies—hereafter termed partners—or both.