Quote Originally Posted by Ron Humphrey View Post
but did want to respond to this.

When actually looking at strategy why exactly would one ever limit themselves to only that available at a given time in relation to ends or means.

Both are fluid and in reality shouldn't one be willing to at least in thought exercise expect to plan taking into account unknowns as well as knowns.

This merely meaning that no given strategy is isolated unto itself. There are multiple in multiple areas of discourse, political, military, economic, social, etc.
Strategy is not limited to available ways and means. In fact ways (doctrine) and means (force structure) of military strategy are predicated on the ends (goals) of US national and defense strategies.

Sometimes this system gets out of whack - Iraq, as an example, was an ambitious goal without the ways or means to achieve it (i.e. "You got to war with the Army you have, not the Army you would want to have.) We developed the ways and means over time, and at great expense.

Strategy must balance ends, ways, and means. This includes not only what you have and want now, but in the future.