Strategy and Force Planning in a Time of Austerity

Key Points

• Force planning and defense budgeting processes that may work well with spending increases have significant problems with budget reductions under austerity. 
• The current U.S. fiscal crisis and political polarization make strategic planning and defense decisionmaking difficult. 
• As part of strategy, defense leaders need to engage in a credible dialogue about austerity, to include discussing fiscal policy and nondefense spending.