Similarly, a nation or its citizens may bring a legal action against another nation in the latter's courts, or in the courts of a third nation, provided jurisdiction can be found and sovereign immunity is not interposed. Nations may also submit their disputes to the International Court of Justice for resolution. Article 92 of the United Nations Charter establishes the International Court of Justice as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. No nation may bring another before the Court unless the latter nation first consents. That consent can be general and given beforehand or can be given in regard to a specific controversy.
Nations also have the option of submitting their disputes to ad hoc or other established tribunals.
The mission of U.S. military forces is to deter armed attack against the United States across the range of military operations, defeat an armed attack should deterrence fail, and prevent or neutralize hostile efforts to intimidate or coerce the United States by the threat or use of armed force or terrorist actions. In order to deter armed attack, U.S. military forces must be both capable and ready, and must be perceived to be so by potential aggressors. Equally important is the perception of other nations that, should the need arise, the U.S. has the will to use its forces in individual or collective self-defense. 4.3.1 Naval Presence. U.S. naval forces constitute a key and unique element of our national military capability.