Squaring the Circle China and winning fast with MG (R) Brad Gericke
Jul 8, 2025
Retired Major General Brad Gericke, a non-resident senior fellow focused on Indo-Pacific security, delves into urgent military strategies against China. He discusses the pressing need for rapid victories to avoid historical blunders and the complexities of prolonged warfare, especially concerning nuclear risks. Gericke highlights the importance of forward military positioning in the Pacific and advocates for modernizing military structures to adapt to evolving threats. Additionally, he emphasizes storytelling and diverse reading to enhance military leadership skills.
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Protraction Is Strategically Risky
- Protraction means long war and is inherently risky because it gives the adversary time to act and escalatory options grow.
- Brad Gericke argues winning early and decisively reduces chance, passion, and unexpected outcomes in war.
Keep Fight-Tonight Readiness First
- Don't abandon 'fight tonight' readiness while preparing for protracted wars; keep decisive readiness the priority.
- Bundle mobilization planning inside Homeland Defense and define mobilization tasks, platforms, and timelines now.
MDO Is Range, Speed, And Convergence
- Gericke defines MDO as range, speed, and convergence enabling decisive combat across domains at operational levels.
- He warns the Army must change force posture and organizations to enable MDO, not just publish doctrine.