Great Power Competition: The Changing Landscape of Global Geopolitics

The world is changing at an ever-increasing pace. Modern communication with worldwide connectivity has brought together a global community. In this environment, we must be globally astute. We must understand the geopolitical and sociocultural aspects of regional affairs in any region in which we may be called upon to serve. Understanding the operating environment and associated regional cultures of our partners and competitors is essential to making military decisions that directly affect outcomes locally, regionally, and globally. Agile leaders must be able to recognize the cultural and geopolitical realities of operations and be prepared to adjust appropriately to achieve our nation's broader goals. The US Army's culture, regional expertise, and language programs provide a mechanism to prepare our troops to operate in and among a region's indigenous cultures.This anthology, Great Power Competition: The Changing Landscape of Global Geopolitics, written under the auspices of the US Army Command and General Staff College's Cultural and Area Studies Office (CASO), expands on the previous volume, Cultural Perspectives, Geopolitics, & Energy Security of Eurasia: Is the Next Global Conflict Imminent? The first book gained significant positive traction among Army leaders as well as among scholars nationally and internationally. Great Power Competition expands the focus to include Latin America and Africa. Our authors provide insight and observations on the battle for influence in these important regions.As our Army refocuses to prepare for competition in complex future operating environments, the insights offered in this volume are important iv for all Army leaders. Future missions may vary, but all will include the need to understand the geopolitical and cultural foundations of regions in which we operate and the people we encounter around the globe. All Army leaders should read this book.