Publication

In the 2001 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld introduced the concept of dissuasion, citing it as one of the “four key goals that will guide the development of US forces and capabilities, their deployment and use.” This view was subsequently confirmed in both the US National Defense Strategy published in 2005, and the 2006 QDR. Yet despite its apparent prominence in US defense planning, there is still significant uncertainty and even confusion regarding a number of key issues about dissuasion and its policy implications.