"America's military engagement promotes regional stability and deters aggression and coercion on a daily basis in virtually every region of the world....Our wisest and most cost-effective actions are those that create an environment that encourages peace, discourages violence and instability, and builds confidence. At the same time, we also use resources to help diminish threats, counteract factors that lead to instability, and lessen the potential severity of conflicts that may arise." -- Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen

This issue of U.S. Foreign Policy Agenda addresses how the U.S. Armed Forces help shape the international environment through peacetime activities, including contacts between the U.S. military and the armed forces of other nations, designed to promote trust and confidence and increase U.S. security and that of our allies, partners, and friends. By increasing understanding and reducing uncertainty, such engagement fosters transparency and encourages the development of democratic institutions. Key U.S. officials outline the scope and significance of military engagement in peacetime and explain how this strategy is factored into the development of U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives. The diversity of peacetime engagement activities around the world is highlighted in a series of articles focusing on U.S. initiatives in Africa, East Asia, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Caribbean.

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