CHAPTER ONE

In each chapter of this report, we examine a particular region or issue of interest to U.S. security. We identify in each case important trends, U.S. interests in priority order as we see them, and the key policy issues relating the two. Our primary purpose is to explain the challenges and opportunities facing the United States, not necessarily to propose or evaluate specific policies.

In this overview, we set out our view of the emerging world order; important world trends from a security perspective; the principles regarding U.S. involvement abroad that we believe command broad support at home; the priorities that we think should govern national security decision-making; and the implications of this analysis for the U.S. military.