Show or Reality? Hitting Moscow – Between Strategic Desperation and Balance by Force (Part II)
Show or Reality? Hitting Moscow – Between Strategic Desperation and Balance by Force (Part II)

Author(s): Catalin Balog
Subject(s): Security and defense, Military policy
Published by: IFIMES Mednarodni inštitut za bližnjevzhodne in balkanske študije
Summary/Abstract: This is the central dilemma of the second part of the analysis of the current multipolar confrontation. Beyond the visible demonstrations – American submarines and Russian bombers – and bellicose declarations, an unseen battle is being waged for the control of perceptions, where power is also defined by narratives and emotions, not just by weapons. The paper introduces concepts such as emotional deterrence, controlled spectacle and normative truth to explain the distinct registers of the great actors: American poker, Russian chess, Chinese go and European normativity. The analysis ends with three scenarios – negotiation, accident or unilateral imposition – and with the conclusion that the wars of the future will be won through the ability to impose one's own version of reality.

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