Deterrence is a dynamic, interactive process between at least two entities. Deterrence policies are predicated on threatening an adversary with pain if that adversary changes its behavior in ways that you find detrimental to your interests.
Unrivaled hegemonic power has not kept the United States safe from terrorist attack; nor has often brutal retaliation deterred suicide attacks in Russia or Israel.
… resorting to retaliation means that your deterrence policy has failed.
… deterrence success is heavily dependent both on signaling the adversary on your intentions and on that adversary interpreting your signals correctly. Communications, through words and deeds, is thus central to a deterrence relationship.
