Security
& Strategy

Defense Policy & Posture

Projects

Studying the use of military force as an instrument of foreign policy, diplomacy, and coercion

Prioritizing military readiness and sustainability to craft common sense defense policy

Improving U.S. and Japanese policymakers’ understanding of shared security and political challenges as both countries face new regional dynamics

War in the 21st Century

Exploring the changing character of war and its implications for US foreign and defense policy

Recent Publications

Commentary

2024 Showdown: Expert Insights from the Presidential Debates

Stimson experts break down the pivotal moments from the first 2024 U.S. Presidential Debates

Christopher Preble • Barbara Slavin • Yun Sun...

Op-Ed

The US Military Chases Shiny New Things And The Ranks Suffer

We were told the Osprey, LCS, and F-35 were cutting edge, but they turned out to be boondoggles and deathtraps

Dan Grazier

Commentary

Fake ‘Peace Through Strength,’ Mexico’s Election, A.I. Hasn’t Changed War, D-Day’s Legacy | Ep. 183

Van, Julia, and Matt discuss how to think about Biden's Gaza ceasefire deal, AI, and the meaning of D-Day in light of militarism today

Julia Gledhill

Op-Ed

In Red Sea, US Navy Paying the Price of Shipbuilding Failures

The Littoral Combat Ship was designed with the current crisis in mind, instead it turned into a boondoggle. Here's why

Dan Grazier

Op-Ed

There is More to NATO Burden Sharing Than the 2% Spending Dogma

Although many NATO member countries’ militaries need work, obsession with the 2% of GDP metric belies a fundamental misunderstanding of military capabilities and national preparedness for conflict

Collin Meisel

Report

Japan’s Strategic Future and Implications for the US-Japan Alliance

Examining Japan’s 2022 nuclear debate and its implications for the U.S.-Japan alliance with actionable recommendations for extended deterrence in Japan

Yuki Tatsumi • Pamela Kennedy • Kenji Nagayoshi