The battlefield may already be expanding.
uncertain
battlefield → expand → ?
British authorities say there are strong indications Iran played a role in the incident at RAF Fairford, the British base used by American bombers against Iran.
asserted
Iran → say → Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli intelligence warned Britain beforehand of what he described as an Iranian-sponsored attack.
asserted
he → say → attack
British counterterrorism police have since arrested a dual UK-Iranian national on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts in connection with the investigation.
asserted
police → arrest → investigation
Iran denies involvement, and the investigation continues.
asserted
investigation → deny → involvement
But the warning is unmistakable: America’s adversaries are looking beyond the traditional battlefield.
asserted
adversaries → look → battlefield
We should be looking at what they might target next.
uncertain
they → look → what
The war with Iran has already demonstrated how quickly critical infrastructure can become a weapon.
asserted
infrastructure → demonstrate → Iran
Iran did not have to destroy the world’s energy infrastructure to create global consequences.
asserted
Iran → have → consequences
It only had to threaten a narrow maritime chokepoint through which much of the world’s energy supply travels.
asserted
much → have → supply
Ships were attacked.
asserted
Ships → attack → ?
Commercial traffic plunged.
asserted
traffic → plunge → ?
Energy prices surged.
asserted
prices → surge → ?
American military resources were redirected to protect shipping.
asserted
resources → redirect → shipping
That should force Americans to ask a more uncomfortable question:
What happens when the chokepoint is here?
America’s greatest vulnerabilities aren’t necessarily military bases.
asserted
vulnerabilities → force → question
They are systems the public assumes will work every morning: water, electricity, food production, communications, transportation, ports, and fuel.
asserted
public → assume → ?
These systems depend on one another.
asserted
systems → depend → one
Electricity moves water.
asserted
Electricity → move → water
Water sustains agriculture.
asserted
Water → sustain → agriculture
Agriculture supplies food.
asserted
Agriculture → supply → food
Food processing requires water and power.
asserted
processing → require → water
Transportation requires fuel.
asserted
Transportation → require → fuel
Emergency responders require communication.
asserted
responders → require → communication
Military installations themselves depend heavily on the surrounding civilian infrastructure.
asserted
installations → depend → infrastructure
Attack one system, and America can respond — several simultaneously, and the consequences multiply.
asserted
consequences → attack → system
For more than two decades, I have worked with law enforcement, fire agencies, and military professionals.
asserted
I → work → enforcement
In recent years, I also experienced another side of security firsthand as a California farmer and agricultural processor.
asserted
I → experience → farmer
Those experiences taught me something Washington too often treats as separate policy questions.
asserted
Washington → teach → questions
Our adversaries understand dependencies.
asserted
adversaries → understand → dependencies
We need to understand our own.
asserted
We → need → own
We also need to stop viewing China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea as four entirely separate threats.
asserted
We → need → threats
They don’t need a formal alliance.
asserted
They → need → alliance
They only need to cooperate when their interests overlap.
asserted
interests → need → ?
Russia and Iran have deepened their relationship.
asserted
Russia → deepen → relationship
North Korea has supported Russia militarily.
asserted
Korea → support → Russia
China remains economically indispensable to Tehran, and China does not have to direct every Iranian, Russian, or North Korean action to benefit.
asserted
China → remain → action
China is playing the longest game.
asserted
China → play → game
Every crisis that consumes U.S. resources, strains alliances, or exposes vulnerabilities gives Beijing another opportunity to observe how we respond.
asserted
we → consume → opportunity
How quickly can we adapt?
asserted
we → adapt → ?
How many simultaneous crises can we sustain?
asserted
we → sustain → crises
…and 21 more, not listed.
The Aporia
