In War without rulesRetired Air Force Brigadier General Robert Spalding exposes the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) multi-pronged strategy to undermine and ultimately dominate world politics. The book is a call to arms for the United States and its Five Eyes (FVEY) allies, emphasizing the urgent need to immediately adapt to a new era of conflict in which traditional battle lines are blurred and every sector of society is a potential front.
Spalding’s thesis is based on the concept of unrestricted war, a doctrine formulated by two Chinese colonels in 1999 that holds that modern warfare goes beyond conventional military conflict. It encompasses a wide range of tactics, including economic coercion, cyber espionage, cultural influence, and even the manipulation of global health crises. The CCP’s approach, Spalding argues, is a strategy of total war that seeks to exploit the open and interconnected nature of Western societies.
The book meticulously analyzes the CCP’s rules of the game and reveals how Western adherence to the rules-based international order is exploited. Spalding warns that the CCP has promised to use economic espionage, global pandemics, and trade violations to achieve its dominance, thereby waging a de facto secret war against the United States and its allies.
For the U.S. and FVEY counterintelligence communities, the implications are profound. The CCP’s strategy challenges the foundations of its operational doctrines, which have traditionally focused on identifiable threats and clear adversaries seeking to use kinetic weapons. Spalding’s analysis suggests that the Department of Defense—and in this review, the counterintelligence community—must evolve and adopt a more holistic view of national security that takes into account the myriad ways in which the CCP can exert influence and cause harm.
One of the key takeaways from War Without Rules is the need for a coordinated and comprehensive whole-of-government and whole-of-country response to CCP tactics. This includes not only the defense and intelligence sectors, but also the broader political community, businesses, and civil society. Spalding emphasizes the importance of awareness, resilience, and strategically deploying America’s own strengths to counter the CCP’s unrestricted warfare.
The book is not only a sobering assessment of the CCP’s ambitions, but also a guide to how to counter them. Spalding provides practical insights on how the United States and its allies can use their democratic values, spirit of innovation, and alliances to counter the CCP’s creeping influence. He calls for a revival of the national spirit, a renewed commitment to the principles of freedom and democracy, and a reassessment of the strategies used to protect them.
War Without Rules is required reading for anyone who cares about national security, especially those working in defense counterintelligence. It provides a detailed examination of the CCP’s strategy and a framework for understanding and countering the multifaceted threats posed by China’s warfare. Spalding’s book is a stark reminder that the battlefield has expanded beyond the physical realm, and the West must adapt to avoid being outmaneuvered in this new era of global competition.
In summary, Spalding’s War Without Rules is a compelling and insightful work that sheds light on the CCP’s strategy of unrestricted warfare. It is an important resource for the U.S. and FVEY counterintelligence community as it prepares for the complex challenges posed by a potential conflict with China. The book not only diagnoses the problem but also offers a path forward, arguing for a robust and unified response that leverages the collective strengths of the United States and its allies. As the CCP continues its relentless pursuit of global dominance, War Without Rules is an indispensable guide for those tasked with safeguarding our national security in an increasingly uncertain world.
