Small footprint, small payoff: The military effectiveness of security force assistance

• Published in: Journal of strategic studies Vol. 41; no. 1-2; pp. 89 - 142
• Main Authors: Biddle, Stephen, Macdonald, Julia, Baker, Ryan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Routledge 23.02.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: advising; Afghanistan War; allies; defense policy; Efficacy; Footprints; Military; Military aid; military assistance; Military effectiveness; Misalignment; Security; strategy; Training; Upper bounds; United States > US

After 15 years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq, many now see 'small-footprint' security force assistance (SFA) - training, advising and equipping allied militaries - as an alternative to large US ground-force commitments. Yet, its actual military efficacy has been little studied. This paper...