Force planning in an era of uncertainty: two-MRCs as a force sizing framework

Original publisher: Carlisle, PA : Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, [1997] OCLC Number: (OCoLC)44376409 Subject: Military planning -- United States. Excerpt: ... environment in four critical areas. First, the Soviet collapse eliminated much of the stabilizing structure of the bipolar Cold War world. Stability was also lessened by the loss of the predictable and constraining emphasis on nuclear deterrence between the superpowers. Second, loss of stability imposed by the bipolar world accelerated the regionalization of conflict, a process that had been underway for some 21 time. " In a new era, some Third World conflicts may no longer take place against the backdrop of superpower competition.... The erosion of U.S.-Soviet bipolarity could permit, and in some ways encourage, 22 the growth of these challenges. " Added to this are the unprecedented levels and quality of arms found in regional conflict areas, coupled with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery means, all of which virtually ensure that U.S. global 23 security interests will be threatened. Finally, the demise of the Soviet Union engendered a public demand for a sizable peace dividend. As a consequence, pressure to reduce the defense budget has had a significant impact on force planning. An explicit objective of the defense program presented by the Clinton administration is to meet American security needs while reducing the overall level of resources 24 devoted to defense. Political interest in eliminating the budget deficit by 2002 will continue to put pressure on the defense program.. The Base Force In an effort to demonstrate military responsiveness to changes in the strategic and budgetary environments, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Colin Powell developed the Base Force in the early 1990s. This force was considered the minimum force that would still allow the armed forces to meet mission requirements with acceptable risk. The Base Forc...