Seamus P. Daniels

Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered the bloodiest war in Europe since World War II and raised significant questions about the United States' role in Europe. This CSIS report examines the U. S. force posture in Europe---including the military capabilities, personnel, infrastructure, and agreements that support defense operations and plans---and makes recommendations for future U. S. posture. It finds that the United States needs a robust, long-term military force posture in Europe, focused on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) eastern flank, to deter future Russian aggression.

There are growing calls for a decrease in the U. S. military presence in the Middle East. This CSIS report assesses three posture options for U. S. forces in the region to inform the debate over the United States' military presence in the Middle East. The report finds that the United States should keep a notable but tailored presence in the Middle East to contain the further expansion of Chinese and Russian military power and to check the actions of Iran and terrorist organizations that threaten the United States and its allies and partners.

Analysis of the FY 2022 Defense Budget from the CSIS Defense Budget Analysis program provides an in-depth assessment of the Biden administration’s request for national defense funding in FY 2022. It outlines priorities for the ongoing and completed strategic reviews—including the National Defense Strategy, Nuclear Posture Review, Missile Defense Review, and Global Posture Review—and their potential budgetary effects. The report concludes by assessing current congressional action on defense appropriations for FY 2022 and identifying key issues for the FY 2023 budget request.

Analysis of the FY 2021 Defense Budget from the CSIS Defense Budget Analysis program provides an in-depth assessment of the Trump administration’s request for national defense funding in FY 2021. The analysis addresses overall trends in the defense budget, changes in the FY 2021 request, and issues for Congress and the next administration to consider. It also covers the budgets of the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Space Force.