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Volume 5, Issue 2, Spring 2016
Infinity Journal
Page 9
Layer I.
Impedance: World territories colored according to
overall impediment to the uninvited sending of coercive US
military force.
Red.
Utmost impediment,mostly intangible.
These territorial
spaces present a prohibitive risk to the United States (in
terms of US domestic politics and diplomacy) ante the
sending of coercive force into their territorial spaces
without a genuine invitation. The criteria for this risk status
are centered on respect that these countries have
generated for their way of life, form of government and
positive relationship with the people of the United States.
Orange.
Extreme impediment, mostly physical.
These
territorial spaces also present a prohibitive risk to the United
States for the sending of ostentatious coercive force into
their territorial spaces. This risk is not generated because
they meet all the sentimental criteria of those countries
colored in red, but rather through the presentation of
physical impediments, especially armed force available
to the government of these countries, which can impose
grievous physical costs on a foreign intervening or invading
force.
Violet.
High impediment, mostly intangible.
These territorial
spaces present great risk to theUnited States for the sending
of coercive force into these spaces. They have generated
some intangible risk in the form of respect for their way
of life, form of government and positive relationship with
the people of the United States (although perhaps not
as much as those colored red), or the territorial space or
government offers a specific geostrategic or economic
advantage or utility especially prized by the US government
(perhaps in spite of the country’s not generating a high
degree of intangible risk).
Yellow.
Moderate impediment, mostly physical.
These
territorial spaces present considerable risk to the United
States for the sending of coercive force because of
physical impediments such as size, remoteness,or extreme
environmental conditions; or because the armed forces
of these
or neighboring countries
can impose substantial
physical costs on a foreign intervening or invading force.
Green.
Low impediment.
These territorial spaces present
the least degree of risk to the United States for the sending
of coercive force into them. The lack of risk in terms of US
domestic politics or US global diplomacy may reflect their
inadequate observance of basic human or civil rights
or because their systems are so corrupt as to invalidate
any reasonable assertion that the autochthonous
governments can represent the people resident within
their borders.These countries do not possess armed forces
capable of presenting a significant risk to a deployment of
US regular formations into their territorial space,nor do their
physical geographies present a challenging impediment
to military movement. Also, no third government has an
alliance, protective or tutorial relationship with these
Map Appendix
Risk Distance
Geoffrey Demarest, Ivan B.Welch, and Charles K. Bartles