Research
July 27, 2026
The United States finds it difficult to agree with its partner on a joint end state—a shared set of political goals, or a working definition of victory—at the outset of a war.
U.S. domestic support for a war erodes steadily over time and erodes more quickly when there is public concern about a partner’s conduct in the war.
Over time, divergent interests naturally emerge between the partner and the United States—disagreements over strategy and operational design, as well as over whether ending the war quickly serves each country’s national security objectives.
