Project
Defense Strategy & Planning
Studying the use of military force as an instrument of foreign policy, diplomacy, and coercion
About the Project
The Defense Strategy and Planning project studies the role of military force and operational art in modern great power competition. Our team conducts rigorous research and analysis on the ways, means, and ends of military operations conducted by the U.S., China, and other major powers to achieve foreign policy objectives short of war. Our work highlights the evolving role of military force in the post-Cold War era, including in gray zone conflict.
By combining military and diplomatic history with data-driven analysis, we identify and assess the historical, environmental, and political characteristics that have shaped the modern use of military force, and provide tools and analysis to decision-makers to help inform choices on how to more effectively use the U.S. military across domains and into the future.
Research & Writing
Report
An invasion of Taiwan is far more complicated than Washington narratives would suggest.
September 3, 2025
Field Note
Ground-level observations that challenge assumptions about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
May 19, 2025
Policy Memo
The Trump administration must revisit Taiwan policy to restore U.S. diplomatic credibility with China.
November 22, 2024
Policy Memo
The United States must lead negotiations to end the fighting in Ukraine
November 22, 2024
Podcast
Discussing the South China Sea and China’s use of “military operations other than war”
March 5, 2024
Podcast
What do we know of how the Chinese military is used in its regional and global pursuits?
February 23, 2024
Podcast
Discussing the role of armed coercion as a tool of foreign policy employed by both the United States and China and how other states perceive and respond to it.
February 22, 2024
Video
Christopher Preble outlines five recommendations for a better U.S. foreign policy
January 25, 2024
Report
This paper documents why U.S. foreign policy should change, and then maps out how it can be done.
January 25, 2024
Book
Examining China’s use of its forces as a coercive tool to pursue political objectives from 2000 – 2020
November 17, 2023
Commentary
Ankara has legitimate security concerns, but the alliance should firmly reject Erdogan’s transactional diplomacy when it comes to Swedish accession.
February 3, 2023
Commentary
The best way Europe can support the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy is by shoring up European security – and freeing the U.S. to focus on providing security in the Indo-Pacific.
February 2, 2023
Report
China’s use of Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW) is essential to understanding how Beijing views the utility of military force in the 21st century.
October 3, 2022
Commentary
There is a real danger that the actions the United States is taking in an effort to signal support for Taiwan will actually spur a conflict over Taiwan.
May 18, 2022
Commentary
Putin may have intended to achieve his political goals in Ukraine merely by presenting a highly credible threat of invasion.
March 31, 2022
Data Tool
An interactive visualization and downloadable dataset of overseas US active duty troop presence from 1991-2020.
July 14, 2021
Commentary
This article was originally published in 9DASHLINE.
May 13, 2021
Op-Ed
This article was originally published in the Diplomat
January 15, 2021
Op-Ed
This article was originally published in The National Interest
December 24, 2020
Op-Ed
This article was originally published by the Center for a New American Security
August 28, 2020
Op-Ed
This article was originally published in Breaking Defense.
August 7, 2020
Impact
Insight for defense policymakers that challenges longstanding assumptions
June 25, 2020
Op-Ed
The US will is sure to become a great power amongst many in the years to come post-pandemic
June 17, 2020
Press Release
Study challenges conventional wisdom on using the military to achieve foreign policy objectives
June 15, 2020
Book
Examining the use of the U.S. military force as a coercive tool, using lessons drawn from the post-Cold War era (1991–2018).
June 15, 2020
Op-Ed
NATO should rethink it’s deterrence strategy and ensure Russia knows when it crossed a line
December 17, 2019
Policy Paper
May 4, 1998
Recent Publications
Sub-Projects
Events
Load More