On August 1, 2013, the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security held a conference call in reaction to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s announcement of the results of the Strategic Choices and Management Review (SCMR).
To discuss this topic, Council Vice President and Director of the Scowcroft Center Barry Pavel was joined by M.A. and George Lund Fellow for Emerging Defense Challenges Steven Grundman . Together, they analyzed the SCMR’s findings, provided their reactions and comments, and delineated the implications going forward.
Pavel mentioned that the US Department of Defense needs to do a better job at factoring in international allies in its planning. Working with allies and partners, and seeing what capabilities and requirements they need, would help the United States with its national and international security obligations. Grundman mentioned that the SCMR has shown the Defense Department went from being in a “stage of depression to a stage of bargaining.” Further, Grundman mentioned the announcement showed that troop presence and forces are “sacrosanct.” Indeed, it is what DoD chiefs value most.
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