DoD Security Cooperation Outcomes: Measuring Success

The purpose of Security Cooperation is to encourage and enable ally and partner actions that support mutual security goals consistent with U.S. national security objectives.  Those actions, or security roles, directly prevent, deter, degrade, or defeat threats to the U.S. and its interests or directly support U.S. forces.  Ultimately, we measure success by the extent to which our allies and partners act in our mutual interests today, or demonstrate the capability and will to act in our mutual interest during a future contingency.

Partner roles that support our mutual interests include:

  1. Political actions or strategic communications
  2. Direct support or benefit to the U.S. or denial of support to adversaries
  3. Readiness to employ capabilities and capacity in support of U.S. objectives consistent with the law of armed conflict and Respect for human rights

Providing support or benefit to the U.S. and/or denying support or benefit to adversaries can include supporting international norms of human rights and the rule of law.  It may also include choosing to invest in U.S. defense solutions over those of our adversaries or providing operational support to U.S. forces such as access to basing, overflight, and intelligence sharing.