Our adversaries aren’t just the obvious ones. They’re also the less obvious ones. And the ones you wouldn’t expect. And, frankly, most of the others.
Make no mistake: we live in a dangerous world. Every foreign country poses a threat to American security if you analyze it correctly. Some threats are obvious. However, others require the kind of analysis I provide from my home office at 0430 every morning. Nevertheless, all foreign country threats deserve our attention.
The obvious adversaries—I won’t name them, but you know who I mean—are clearly dangerous. Yet it’s the non-obvious threats that keep me up at night. And by “up at night,” I mean thinking about them while doing my morning CrossFit routine, which starts at 0430 because that’s when warriors wake up.
Why Every Foreign Country Is A Threat
Let’s start with our allies. They’re allies now. But history shows that alliances shift. Consequently, today’s friend could be tomorrow’s enemy. Therefore, we must treat them with appropriate suspicion while maintaining the alliance. It’s called strategic FUD, and I just made it up. Nevertheless, it sounds like something real strategists would say.
Then there are neutral countries. Why are they neutral? What are they hiding? As I noted in my previous threat assessment, neutrality in a dangerous world is itself suspicious. Furthermore, their neutrality could shift at any moment, making them a latent threat. In other words, neutral countries are just enemies who haven’t committed yet.
The Foreign Country Threat Matrix
I’ve developed a framework for assessing foreign country threats. Specifically, it has three categories:
First, there are countries that have threatened us. These are obvious threats. Second, we have countries that haven’t threatened us yet. These are threats-in-waiting. Third, and most importantly, there are countries that seem friendly. These are the most dangerous because we don’t see them coming.
Some might say this framework makes every country a threat. That’s correct. Additionally, that’s the point. In a world this dangerous, you simply can’t afford to not be suspicious of everyone. Moreover, if you’re not suspicious, you’re not paying attention.
What This Means For America
We need strength. We need resolve. Above all, we need to wake up at 0430 and think about threats while other people sleep. Meanwhile, our adversaries—which is everyone—are planning something.
I’m not saying we should invade anyone. Instead, I’m saying we should be ready to. There’s a difference. Specifically, the difference is that one involves action and the other involves me talking about action from my suburb. Both are forms of service, in my view.
The Bottom Line
Every foreign country is a potential threat. Some are actual threats. The rest are simply threats we haven’t identified yet. Therefore, vigilance is required. Constant, exhausting vigilance.
Stay alert. Stay strong. And above all, stay suspicious of literally every nation on Earth.
That’s not paranoia. That’s preparedness.
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