China at Arms: Millennial Strategic Traditions and Their Diplomatic Implications

Abstract

The concept of "gray zone" conflict has generated significant attention and controversy recently, within both the U.S. government and the broader strategic studies community. This essay surfaces 8 key paradoxes, nuances, and contradictions of the gray zone, to shed light on a concept that is both deeply controversial, and deeply important to debates about the future of warfare and U.S. policy.