The term “Solarium Project” has been used so frequently in recent years that its original purpose and power have been diluted. Today, it’s often invoked as a generic term for strategic brainstorming.
However, the roots of the original Project Solarium – initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953 – represent something far more profound and disciplined. It was a process that provided the foundation for a coherent, enduring strategy that ultimately helped the United States win the Cold War. To address the complexities of today’s global challenges, we should return to the original intent and rigor of Project Solarium and institutionalize it as a standard process to support the President in developing a National Security Strategy.
This new Solarium Project would synchronize all elements of national power and provide continuity of strategy, ensuring the safeguarding of US interests over the long term. It should be the foundation for an America First National Security Strategy.
Eisenhower’s Vision
President Eisenhower’s original Solarium Project was more than just an exercise in strategic thinking. It was a disciplined process aimed at addressing a critical problem: how to contain the Soviet Union’s global ambitions. Eisenhower convened a select group of experts at the National War College in Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. Three teams comprised the project: academics, policymakers, and practitioners, each tasked with developing a distinct approach to countering the Soviet threat. This rigorous and collaborative effort culminated in the adoption of a coherent strategy that guided US policy throughout the Cold War.
Eisenhower’s approach demonstrated the value of long-term strategic thinking and the necessity of integrating various elements of national power. In an era marked by technological change, economic competition, and political instability, we face challenges no less daunting than those of the Cold War. We need a modern Solarium Project that builds on Eisenhower’s vision to address these challenges.
While many national security thinkers have recommended establishing a modern Solarium Project the following is possible actionable process.
Institutionalizing the Solarium Process
To institutionalize the Solarium Project, we propose a two-year cycle designed to align with the presidential term and ensure continuity of strategy. This process would provide disciplined strategic planning and a structured way to adapt to evolving global conditions.
Year One: Presidential Inauguration Year
In July and August of the President’s first year in office, a group of selected experts would convene at the National War College. These experts would include academics, policymakers, strategists, and practitioners, representing diverse perspectives and areas of expertise.
Their task would be to:
-Conduct a strategic review of the current National Security Strategy.
-Review and validate US national security interests.
-Revise strategic assumptions as necessary.
-Update national security objectives.
The group would determine one of three courses of action:
-Develop an entirely new National Security Strategy.
-Revise the existing strategy as needed.
-Validate the current strategy and leave it intact.
By October 1 of the President’s first year, a new or revised National Security Strategy would be published, providing clear guidance for the administration and ensuring alignment across government agencies.
Year Three: Post-Midterm Review
In July and August, following the midterm elections, the process would repeat. The same group of experts, or a similarly qualified cohort, would reconvene at the National War College. This review would:
-Validate the current strategy.
-Revise the strategy based on updated assessments of global conditions, strategic assumptions, and political guidance.
-Develop a new strategy if necessary.
The updated or validated strategy would be published on October 1st, providing continuity and adaptability as the administration enters its second half.
Continuity Across Administrations
This cycle would repeat after each presidential election, ensuring that the incoming administration benefits from a disciplined, long-term approach to strategic planning. By institutionalizing this process, the United States would achieve greater consistency and coherence in its national security strategy, regardless of political transitions.
F-22 Raptor. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Benefits of a Modern Solarium Project
Institutionalizing the Solarium Project offers several key benefits:
- Continuity of Strategy: By revisiting and updating the strategy every two years, the US can ensure that its national security policies remain relevant and effective, even as administrations change.
- Adaptability: Regular reviews allow for timely adjustments to the strategy based on changing global conditions and emerging threats.
- Integrated Expertise: Bringing together a diverse group of experts fosters creative thinking and ensures that all elements of national power—diplomatic, informational, military, and economic—are considered.
- Disciplined Process: The structured approach of the Solarium Project provides a clear framework for developing and evaluating strategy, reducing the risk of ad hoc or reactionary policymaking.
- Long-Term Perspective: The process encourages a focus on enduring US interests and strategic objectives rather than short-term political or tactical considerations.
- Enhanced Presidential Support: By institutionalizing this process, the President would have access to a comprehensive, rigorously developed strategy supported by the nation’s top experts.
Conclusion
The original Project Solarium was a testament to the power of disciplined, long-term strategic thinking. In an era of rapid change and mounting global challenges, we must bring back the rigor and vision of Eisenhower’s approach. Institutionalizing a modern Solarium Project on a two-year cycle would provide the United States with a process to develop and sustain a coherent National Security Strategy. By synchronizing all elements of national power and ensuring continuity of strategy, this initiative would strengthen US leadership and advance the nation’s interests in an increasingly complex world. It’s time to be like Ike—and bring back a real Solarium Project.
President Donald J. Trump speaks with armed services personnel Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020, during a Thanksgiving video teleconference call from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)
About the Author: David Maxwell
David Maxwell is a retired US Army Special Forces Colonel who has spent more than 30 years in the Asia Pacific region (primarily Korea, Japan, and the Philippines) as a practitioner, specializing in Northeast Asian Security Affairs and irregular, unconventional, and political warfare. He is the Vice President of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy and a Senior Fellow at the Global Peace Foundation, where he focuses on a free and unified Korea. Following retirement, he was the Associate Director of the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. He is a member of the board of directors of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea and the OSS Society and is a contributing editor to Small Wars Journal. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
