Do Alliances and Partnerships Entangle the United States in Conflict?

Strengthening U.S. security relationships is a core element of the Biden administration’s foreign policy. But some analysts have argued that these relationships cause the United States to adopt its partners’ interests, incentivize allies and partners to engage in reckless behavior, and risk dragging the United States into conflict. Others dismiss these concerns. In this report, RAND researchers assess the evidence for these competing claims.