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The backbone of the United States' post-War power projection and security network has been bases and troop deployments. If you want to understand globpower, don't just look at capabilities. Look at where those capabilities have an enduring presence.

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Such states are also more likely to trade with each other; this is where we might see a shift from a preference for "relative gains" under realism towards a greater emphasis on "absolute gains."

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As security networks expand, the commitment network has lateral effects. When two states both host bases from the same third party, they are less likely to go to war with each other. Shared security ties dampen the security dilemma.

Basing allows states to meaningfully engage in a region and respond quickly to emerging crises. Bases shape bargaining ranges with allies and rivals.

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They are sticky, non-liquid military assets that are difficult to walk away from. Bases serve as credible commitments between the basing state and the host country.

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Overseas military bases don't just prepare for war. They shape international politics before conflicts begin.

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As such, every overseas deployment is also a massive public diplomacy experiment. #InternationalRelations #PoliticalScience #MilitaryBases

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As the U.S. pulls back from humanitarian missions, the soft power it generates from those will also dissipate.

The meaning of these interactions depends on how the U.S. behaves. If the U.S. is building cooperative institutions with buy-in from its allies, service members can reinforce their legitimacy. If the U.S. is seen as transactional, those interactions become part of a temporary deal.

America First, military adventurism, alliances of opportunity, protectionism, promoting polyarchy, and organizations of convenience will likely shift the meaning of troop interactions with civilian populations.

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On-the-ground interactions contextualize what the U.S. is doing on the world's stage. The shift from a commitment to liberal institutions (complex security alliances, economic interdependence, democratization, and international organizations) of the past eighty years to an

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Negative interactions can likewise make the costs of military deployments very clear. Theft, assault, bar fights, sexual assault, drug use, black market participation, public intoxication, DUIs, traffic, pollution, and noise pollution all contribute to negative views of the U.S. and its military.

Hundreds of thousands of service members have acted as public diplomacy agents by living their normal lives. Routine behaviors such as grocery shopping, getting eyelash extensions, drinking at a bar, coaching a little league soccer team, taking public transit, and numerous other things all matter.

Each interaction becomes an interpretation of the United States. Its mission in that country. The alliance with the United States. The culture of the United States. Its financial influence. It's wars. The U.S. military has long served as a de facto diplomatic corps.

U.S. military exchanges, enabled by the U.S. security network it built after World War II, have also had a multiplicative effect on public diplomacy.

A civilian in another country is unlikely to ever meet a U.S diplomat. However, they may meet dozens or hundreds of U.S. soldiers.

One thing that people miss about U.S. deployments overseas: U.S. service members can both build and undermine U.S. soft power. Why? Peacetime deployments create millions of contact points between servicemembers and civilians.

Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 15/03/2026

From PhD Comics (phdcomics.com). LaTeX was supposed to solve the formatting issues, not become them!

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 15/03/2026

Starfleet Academy is over, so it is time to lower the United Federation of Planets flag and hoist the Straw Hat Pirates flag as we watch Season 2 of One Piece!

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 13/03/2026

Of these, 14 participants (22.9 ± 2.4 years old; 1 female) were included in the final analysis, with one excluded due to data recording errors (Table 1)." The data are interesting, but given the small population, the confidence intervals are not very informative for reporting the difference here.

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 12/03/2026

My comic pulls for this week. Most excited for D'orc #2 and United #1.

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 10/03/2026

Super MAR10 to those that celebrate it. Happy Luigi Day to those 2Ps out there that do not.

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 09/03/2026

Newspaper Interviewer (phone interview): How long do you think this war will last for? Me:

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 08/03/2026

My best card yet from: wikigacha.com

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 07/03/2026

We have been playing Feed the Kraken as the starter for our board game night for the last few months (having exactly 11 people show up is perfect). A friend offered to paint my minis, and I am in love with the job he did. #boardgames #socialdeduction

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 06/03/2026

I read this to my daughter.

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 05/03/2026

Updated .gif of US troop deployments from 1950-2025. Feel free to use it for lectures, conference slides (I use it for almost every talk), or whatever. The Troopdata package includes the latest quarterly report for December 2025! #internationalrelations #polisky #politicalscience #poliscisky #irsky

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 23/02/2026

I have been testing out Claude Code this past week and made a silly International Relations/social science publishing text adventure game. It's silly, but was a use-case for me to better understanding Claude a bit more. #int-rel #int-rel #polisky

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 31/10/2025

It was worse than I imagined. Time to close that account.

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 04/08/2025

@xkcd.com Can we get an updated map of the internet? I moved offices, put up my 2007 one, and need a replacement I think.

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 01/06/2025

Is Chomsky a fascist in the Lore universe?! @ryannorth.ca

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 28/04/2025

I know there is some constructivist work that approaches this in terms of how states learn/use legalistic language in speeches/international treaties over time. Regardless, I think I can push it further until it hits upon a true gem, but that will be for later. It did produce a neat table.

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 21/03/2025

The algorithm has decided that my book, The Gamer's Guide to International Relations, is half on Kindle today at Amazon. #irksy #polisky

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 18/03/2025

Not sure if this is a misspelling or the mobsters in this universe have very filthy guns. @ryannorth.ca

Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 10/03/2025

About two years ago, @carlammm.bsky.social, @flynnpolsci.bsky.social, Grzegorz Smułek, and I conducted a survey experiment in Poland. A few interesting finds: 1) Observationally, support for US basing was noticeably higher in 2023 than it was in 2020, when we last surveyed #irsky #polisky

Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 04/03/2025

The doors have ears and the

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Michael Allen @ma-allen.com · 28/02/2025

If you are at ISA, consider joining us on Sunday at 10:30am to discuss "The Gamer's Guide to International Relations." Andrew Szarejko (@szarejko.bsky.social) chairs with great discussants including...