U.S. Military Strategy and Force Posture for the 21st Century

In addressing U.S. military strategy for the coming two decades, this report establishes an analytical framework for weighing the issues and options that lie ahead. It also analyzes the determinants and components of U.S. military strategy, a force-sizing technique, and force posture options. The study emphasizes assessing how the current Regional Strategy can be enhanced to meet the security challenges of the coming years and how the strategy can be adjusted if force levels and resources are less than planned. The report develops a spectrum of alternative strategies for dealing with potential international confrontations further down the line. It offers strategies for responding to less threatening worlds than exist today and strategies for dealing with worsened regional tensions and multipolar rivalries among the major powers. Necessary force levels to meet new requirements are included. The range of options representing evolving world situations help illuminate the manifold considerations that U.S. strategy may have to take into account.