GRIPS: Five Pillars for Enduring National Strength
A Core Framework of Strategic Coherence
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In today’s world, power does not rest on weapons alone.
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To lead in an era of contested interdependence, nations must align strength across governance, resilience, innovation, perception, and security. That’s what the GRIPS framework makes possible.
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GRIPS is a strategic blueprint that helps leaders identify where their systems are fragile, fragmented, or falling behind—and where they can build lasting advantage.
Why GRIPS Matters
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Earlier frameworks like DIME (Diplomatic, Information, Military, Economic) assumed power could be projected from a stable, unrivaled core.
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But today’s power is multidomain, multidirectional, and continuously contested. It must be generated, aligned, and sustained across sectors—from AI labs to supply chains, regulatory agencies to alliances.
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GRIPS reframes the question from “What can we project?” to:
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“What do we need to build and align to compete?”
The Five Pillars of GRIPS
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→ Inspire trust and enable national coherence
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Strategic capacity begins with legitimate, responsive, and capable institutions.
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Evaluate: public trust, rule of law, corruption control, policy coordination, regulatory credibility
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→ Withstand shocks and sustain autonomy under pressure
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Enduring strength requires the ability to absorb disruption—economic, environmental, cyber, or coercive.
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Evaluate: supply chain depth, energy and food security, fiscal and industrial buffers, adaptive capacity
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→ Drive frontier capabilities that shape the future
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Technological leadership is the decisive terrain of modern power.
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Evaluate: R&D investment, industrial agility, IP generation, talent pipelines, sovereign compute access
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→ Earn legitimacy and align strategic narratives
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In a contested information environment, how others see you shapes what you can lead.
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Evaluate: alliance credibility, reputation, media trust, diplomatic signaling, value alignment
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→ Deter threats and shape contested outcomes
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Security is no longer just deterrence—it’s coordination, integration, and cross-domain readiness.
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Evaluate: military posture, cyber and space capabilities, civil defense, alliance integration
GRIPS in Action
Each pillar is essential. But none is sufficient alone.
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Strong innovation without trusted governance breeds instability.
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Military power without narrative credibility weakens alliances.
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Perception leadership without resilience falters under pressure.
GRIPS exposes these gaps—and helps close them.
Part of the 360° Strategic Coherence Frameworks
GRIPS is not a standalone checklist. It is part of a unified approach:
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GRIPS – What must be built
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Together, they help nations and institutions think clearly, act coherently, and lead with confidence.
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Power today is not just about strength—it’s about systems that work together.
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GRIPS is where building that coherence begins.
From the Frontiers of Freedom Blog
Strategic Insights Through the GRIPS Lens
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Explore how the GRIPS framework reveals deeper patterns in power, posture, and perception around the world:
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Strategic clarity requires more than military and economic tools.
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This post introduces GRIPS as a modern alternative to DIME—showing how governance, resilience, innovation, perception, and security better capture today’s competitive realities.
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Each GRIPS pillar represents a distinct form of power.
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This deeper dive into GRIPS examines how states wield power institutionally, physically, technologically, perceptually, and militarily—and what it means for long-term advantage.
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How does France’s call for strategic autonomy hold up across GRIPS?
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Using GRIPS as an evaluative framework, this post analyzes Emmanuel Macron’s recent messaging on European defense and sovereignty.