Assessing the Costs of Smaller-Scale Contingencies
Abstract
This analysis examines the limitations of current estimates of the costs of smaller-scale contingencies (SSCs). SSCs include such military operations as limited strikes, peacemaking and peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief. According to Department of Defense (DoD) estimates, SSCs have accounted for about 1 percent of the department's budget - or $3 billion per year, on average - over the past decade. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) finds that although DoD's estimates may provide accurate and useful information about budgetary costs, they understate total costs in situations in which the SSC detracts from DoD's ability to carry out its other missions. This discussion focuses only on assessing the costs of SSCs and does not address a number of other issues that are part of a broader debate about such operations - for example, the extent to which participation in SSCs contributes to national security, whether the United States needs to be able to engage in more than one major theater war (MTW) at a time, and whether the nation is devoting enough resources to defense.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 16, 2001
- Accession Number
- AD1134756
Entities
People
- Dan L. Crippen
Organizations
- Congressional Budget Office