Realistic U.S. Military Missions

There are four big themes involved in reshaping the U.S. military so it is better suited to meet our needs at a more affordable price: 

(1) clarifying the missions that are and are not realistic for it to be used to achieve, 

(2) considering what part our allies would play in carrying out any particular mission, 

(3) looking for opportunities to substitute existing systems for alternatives that can carry out the same tactical tasks better, and 

(4) considering responses to emerging technologies that present new threats.

This post is limited to the first two of these themes.

By focusing in more clearly on specific focused missions that the U.S. military might have that are not merely speculative or remote possibilities, one by one, and determining what is needed for each mission, the U.S. military can pare down spending involved in "being ready for anything."

My list of these missions, based upon historical U.S. foreign and military policy, and organized by region, is set forth below, with missions potentially calling for significant Army or Army National Guard involvement in bold, and other missions primarily reserved to Navy, Marine and Air Force units.

Europe, North and Central Asia, Black Sea, the North Atlantic, the Baltic Sea, and the Arctic

1. Protect Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine from Russian (or Russian-sponsored) aggression together with the cooperation of our NATO allies.

2. Protect maritime and air commerce from Russian interference together with the cooperation of our NATO allies.

East Asia

1. Protect Taiwan from a Chinese invasion together with Japanese and South Korean allies.

2. Protect South Korea from North Korean aggression together with Japanese allies.

3. Protect South Korea and Japan from North Korean missiles.

4. Protect maritime and air commerce in the Pacific from Chinese interference together with Japanese and South Korean allies.

Middle East, Southeast Asia,  Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the Persian Gulf

1. Protect Israel from aggression from its neighbors.

2. Protect maritime commerce from Iranian interference in the Persian Gulf area.

3. Assist pro-Western or neutral regimes in resisting Islamist insurgencies together with Western allies.

4. Protect maritime commerce from piracy.

5. Provide assistance in the event of natural and man-made disasters.

6. Evacuate U.S. nationals and allies in the event of chaotic state collapse.

The Americas, the Pacific, the Caribbean, and the South Atlantic

1. Protect U.S. territory and our allies in Oceania from North Korean missiles.

2. Intervene in the event of insurgency or anarchy in a Caribbean state.

3. Respond to domestic insurgencies, predominantly right-wing.

4. Protect maritime commerce from piracy.

5. Regulate smuggling of drugs and arms.

6. Provide assistance in the event of natural and man-made disasters.

7. Evacuate U.S. nationals and allies in the event of chaotic state collapse.

8. Protect the U.S. and Canada from Russian missiles and airborne bombing.