Why logistics will be key to any US conflict with Russia and China

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While commercial supply chains are normally our focus at The Loadstar, there are sometime logistical issues in other theatres that are so interesting as to warrant notice. This article by US geopolitical analyst Stratfor is a case in point, depicting the considerable supply chain challenges the US military would have were it to find itself waging war against a resurgent Russia or increasingly confident China: “The US benefits greatly from supply chains and transportation infrastructure that allow it to trade and deploy its forces across large distances in peacetime. Nevertheless, the US must prepare for the real possibility that it will not enjoy such unencumbered access to maritime routes if its competition with either China or Russia escalates into open hostilities. And compounding the issue for Washington is the emergence of new disruptive technologies, the weakening strength of the US’s merchant marine fleet and the myriad diplomatic issues that Washington must consider every time it crosses national boundaries.”