Throughout recent conflicts, the military frequently employed "money as a weapon system" at the tactical level. Beyond traditional contracting and pay agent support, what is the next evolutionary step for money as a weapon system in the context of great-power competition?
To answer this call to action and advance our defense goals, the Department of Defense must provide a rigorous strategy for using its resources and Security Cooperation as an "instrument of statecraft to advance national defense and foreign policy priorities". As money evolves into a strategic weapon, how can the military prioritize its limited resources to "buy down risk and/or build stronger partnerships," while simultaneously "avoiding dependency" and balancing other "foreign assistance considerations"?
Ultimately, what historical conditions have led to the success or failure of using these financial and security cooperation levers to achieve deterrence, and what institutional barriers currently prevent the effective development of these strategies? Through this lens, how can the DoD formulate better strategies and make evidence-based choices to ensure these investments effectively support the National Defense Strategy?
- Tackleson II, Daniel C., "China's Belt and road Initiative: The Impact on the US Economic and Political Influence in Southeast Asia," AFGC thesis, 2025.
- Addressed by Tackleson's call for a strategic recalibration of U.S. economic engagement as an instrument of statecraft. He demonstrates that China has effectively operationalized economic capital—spending upwards of $1 trillion globally—to foster strategic dependencies and political concessions from developing states. To counter this, Tackleson argues that the U.S. must treat outbound FDI as a critical national security priority, noting that failing to build economic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific carries severe long-term risks to the U.S. domestic economy and global leadership. He counsels that while coercive tools like tariffs and embargoes are accepted diplomatic levers, the U.S. should avoid using them as a first resort; instead, it must prioritize constructive, values-driven economic cooperation that fosters mutual regional growth rather than forcing partners to strictly conform to U.S. bidding.
- Thiam, Lt. Col. Babacar (Senegalese AF), "How to Improve Security Assistance for the Sahelian Countries Using Lessons Learned from Previous U.S. SOF Engagements in the Region, Case Study Mali," AWC Strategic Studies paper, 2017, 40 pgs.