You just need the capability. If you don’t have the capability you can’t negotiate from strength.
Ronald Reagan, George Shultz, Cap Weinberger taught us that.
The problem is that we generally can’t rely on our political leadership to have the self-control and probity of Reagan. Despite the leftist slander of him being an out of control cowboy, Reagan knew that military power had the most effect when it wasn’t being endlessly depleted, a lesson our last few presidents have failed to absorb.