Military Force Deployment

Critical Infrastructure Protection
commentary
The National Guard Can Do It, but That Doesn't Mean It's a Good Idea
Christopher M. Schnaubelt
Mar 19, 2021
Military Times
Should the National Guard provide an enduring quick reaction force for Washington, D.C., as apparently recommended in a recent report to Congress? Policymakers might ask themselves whether using the National Guard for this mission is actually the best solution.
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Military Force Deployment
commentary
Getting Out of Forever Wars: What Are Biden's Options in Afghanistan?
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Mar 12, 2021
Military Times
U.S. counterterrorism strategy has long been driven by the assumption that security at home depends on fighting terrorists abroad. How will that square with the president's pledge to end forever wars? Is it possible to get out of warfighting without shutting down vital counterterrorist operations?
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Military Force Deployment
commentary
Russian Mercenaries in Great-Power Competition: Strategic Supermen or Weak Link?
Molly Dunigan, Ben Connable
Mar 9, 2021
The RAND Blog
The weaknesses within Russian mercenary forces and within the Russian state in relation to press-ganged youths, conscripts, and casualties may offer opportunities for exploitation in great-power competition. These broader weaknesses in Russian national will to fight could be examined to identify more ways to prevent Russia from aggressively undermining Western democracy.
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Base Realignment and Closure
commentary
Why Overseas Military Bases Continue to Make Sense for the United States
Raphael S. Cohen
Jan 14, 2021
War on the Rocks
Voices on the left and right have proposed downsizing America's overseas military footprint. While the merits of basing in a particular location should be open to debate, the underlying twin logics of deterrence and reassurance behind permanently stationing American forces overseas remain operationally, economically, and strategically as sound as ever.
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Philippines
commentary
China Refuses to Quit on the Philippines
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Jul 22, 2020
The Diplomat
When the Filipino people elected Rodrigo Duterte to become their next president in May 2016, China saw a distinct opportunity to pull the longtime U.S. ally away from Washington and into Beijing's strategic orbit. But it remains to be seen how the long-term geopolitical competition between the United States and China over the Philippines will play out.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
The Indo-Pacific Contest: It Could be Time for Fresh Ideas on Allied Security Cooperation
John Blaxland, Jennifer D. P. Moroney @jdpmoroney
Jul 8, 2020
Pacific Forum
U.S. and Australian interests in the Pacific and Southeast Asia face unprecedented challenges from China, and Australia may not be able to handle them on its own. Momentum is growing for heightened cooperation between Australia and the United States.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
China Just Botched a Monumental Opportunity with the Philippines
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Jun 18, 2020
The Diplomat
China hailed Philippines President Duterte's announcement in February of an end to the U.S.-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in six months as evidence the United States was losing the great power competition with China in the Indo-Pacific. But on June 2, Duterte decided to postpone the VFA termination, breathing new life into the decades-long agreement.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
There's Still Life in the U.S.-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
May 4, 2020
Foreign Policy
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced that he would terminate the U.S.-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Washington and Manila have until August 9 to save it or negotiate a new VFA to avert any further alliance crisis.
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Philippines
commentary
If U.S. Forces Have to Leave the Philippines, Then What?
Caroline Baxter
Feb 28, 2020
Foreign Policy Research Institute
If the United States were to lose access to bases in the Philippines, the effects would ripple outward. Maintaining alliances in the Indo-Pacific in all their manifestations is critical—and the details matter.
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Japan
commentary
Japan's Hormuz Dilemma
Jeffrey W. Hornung
Aug 16, 2019
The Hill
Japan is a staunch U.S. ally in the Indo-Pacific. But any decision to support a coalition against Iran in the Middle East is likely to put Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a tough position.
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China
commentary
Vietnam Is the Chinese Military's Preferred Warm-Up Fight
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
May 15, 2019
The Diplomat
China's last major war experience gave it virtually zero lessons to apply to future armed conflict. At some point the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will need to test its new capabilities and the training it has honed over time. There are at least three reasons why Vietnam is likely in the PLA's crosshairs.
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Japan
commentary
With Little Fanfare, Japan Just Changed the Way It Uses Its Military
Jeffrey W. Hornung
May 3, 2019
Foreign Policy
In early April, Japan deployed its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) abroad to join a multinational force not connected to the United Nations. This is the first time that SDF personnel will participate in overseas peacekeeping operations not under UN control. The difference may not seem important, but it is.
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Gun Violence
blog
Christchurch, Brexit, China and Israel: RAND Weekly Recap
Mar 22, 2019
This weekly recap focuses on the Christchurch shootings, how the UK can improve its post-Brexit prospects, China and Israel's evolving relationship, and more.
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Military Facilities
commentary
'Cost Plus 50' Explained
Stacie L. Pettyjohn
Mar 15, 2019
The Washington Post
The Trump administration may be considering requiring host nations to subsidize the entire cost of the U.S. military presence and pay an additional 50 percent of that amount. This type of transactional foreign policy increases the risk that countries will rethink their agreements to host U.S. forces, and that could reduce the U.S. military's ability to operate globally.
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Border and Port Security
commentary
The U.S. Military's Border Enforcement Role
Christine Wormuth
Nov 19, 2018
The Cipher Brief
The Trump administration announced a deployment of at least 5,200 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. Is a military response of this size needed to address the situation on the southern border?
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Military Mobilization
commentary
Exploring the Allied Decisions on Military Mobility in Europe
Marta Kepe @martakepe
Jul 27, 2018
Defense News
Debates about defense expenditure and concerns over the unity of NATO overshadowed decisions on defense and deterrence in Europe made during the recent NATO summit and European Council meetings. Both high-level events brought significant and tangible conclusions with potential impacts on defense, deterrence, and readiness in Europe.
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Assessing and Articulating the Wider Benefits of Research

Military Force Deployment

The National Guard Can Do It, but That Doesn't Mean It's a Good Idea

Getting Out of Forever Wars: What Are Biden's Options in Afghanistan?

Russian Mercenaries in Great-Power Competition: Strategic Supermen or Weak Link?

Why Overseas Military Bases Continue to Make Sense for the United States

China Refuses to Quit on the Philippines

The Indo-Pacific Contest: It Could be Time for Fresh Ideas on Allied Security Cooperation

China Just Botched a Monumental Opportunity with the Philippines

There's Still Life in the U.S.-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement

If U.S. Forces Have to Leave the Philippines, Then What?

Japan's Hormuz Dilemma

Vietnam Is the Chinese Military's Preferred Warm-Up Fight

With Little Fanfare, Japan Just Changed the Way It Uses Its Military

Christchurch, Brexit, China and Israel: RAND Weekly Recap

'Cost Plus 50' Explained

The U.S. Military's Border Enforcement Role

Exploring the Allied Decisions on Military Mobility in Europe

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