Some small states can maintain little or no military because geography, limited invasion incentives, and regional partners give larger countries reasons to protect them. The examples include Caribbean states relying on police and coast-guard functions, and Iceland's reliance on NATO partners for military defence. Britain and the United States face a different calculation in this argument because their economies are deeply connected to global flows of goods and capital. Comparing those flows helps explain the attention paid to congested maritime positions and disruption of trade. The method relates a country's external commitments to its economic exposure and the protection it can expect from others.
Chapter · 40:47-44:16
Regional protection and trade exposure produce different fleet needs
Small states can rely on stronger regional partners, while globally integrated trading powers need ships near the routes and chokepoints on which their economies depend.