Military Deployments

This page contains all information related to our research on the positive and negative externalities of US troop deployments abroad. All material on this page is based upon work supported by, or in part by, the Minerva Research Initiative, U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the U.S. Army Research Office under grant number W911NF-18-1-0087. Opinions and interpretations are those of the authors and not the Army or Department of Defense.

Explore the data interactively on the Troop Data Dashboard.

Research Team

• Michael A. Allen, Professor of Political Science, Boise State University
• Michael E. Flynn, Professor of Political Science, Kansas State University
• Carla Martinez Machain, Professor of Political Science, University at Buffalo, SUNY
• Andrew Stravers

Data and Documentation

The following documents and data stem from our research on the grant.

• Survey Data Wave 1–3 Combined (.csv, codebook, variable list)
  • Old Wave 2 Data (.csv, .dta, codebook, variable list)
  • Old Wave 1 Data (.csv, .dta, codebook, variable list)
• Qualitative Reports: Wave 1, Wave 2, Wave 3
• Map of countries surveyed by each firm
• Protest Data (.csv, codebook)
• Crime Data (.csv, codebook)
• U.S. Military Expenditures to Countries Data (.csv, codebook)
• U.S. Military Construction Geocoded Data (.csv, codebook)

Project Publications

• Allen, Michael A., Michael Flynn, Carla Martinez Machain, and Andrew Stravers. 2022. Beyond the Wire: US Military Deployments and Host Country Public Opinion. Oxford University Press, Bridging the Gap Series.
  • OUP Link (use discount code USAFLYQ6)
  • Amazon
  • eBook
  • Online Appendix
• Martinez Machain, Carla, Michael A. Allen, and Michael E. Flynn. 2023. “The US signs a military deal with Papua New Guinea – here’s what both countries have to gain from the agreement.” The Conversation.
• Martinez Machain, Carla, Michael A. Allen, and Michael E. Flynn. 2023. “Spy balloon drama elevates public attention, pressure for the US to confront China.” The Conversation.
• Martinez Machain, Carla, Michael A. Allen, and Michael E. Flynn. 2023. “The US and the Philippines’ military agreement sends a warning to China – 4 key things to know.” The Conversation.
• Martinez Machain, Carla, Michael A. Allen, and Michael E. Flynn. 2022. “After Afghanistan, US military presence abroad faces domestic and foreign opposition in 2022.” The Conversation.
• Martinez Machain, Carla, Michael E. Flynn, and Michael Allen. 2021. “Biden will stop the U.S. troop drawdown in Germany, but also push for smaller deployments around the world.” The Monkey Cage.
• Allen, Michael A., Michael Flynn, Carla Martinez Machain, and Andrew Stravers. 2020. “Outside the wire: U.S. troop deployments and public opinion in host states.” American Political Science Review 114(2): 326–341.
  • Submitted Version
  • Appendix Materials
  • Replication Data
• Martinez Machain, Carla, Michael E. Flynn, and Michael Allen. 2020. “Relations between the U.S. and Allies are Souring. What Next for NATO?” The Political Quarterly.
• Flynn, Michael E., Carla Martinez Machain, and Michael Allen. 2019. “Why does the US pay so much for the defense of its allies? 5 questions answered.” The Conversation.
• Flynn, Michael E., Michael Allen, and Carla Martinez Machain. 2019. “Trump wants South Korea and Japan to pay more for defense: What does it cost to maintain the U.S. military presence in allied countries?” The Monkey Cage.
• Allen, Michael A., Michael Flynn, Carla Martinez Machain, and Andrew Stravers. 2019. “Understanding how populations perceive U.S. Troop Deployments.” Owl in the Olive Tree.
• Martinez Machain, Carla, Michael Allen, Michael E. Flynn, and Andrew Stravers. 2019. “The implications of 5000 troops to Colombia.” The Duck of Minerva.

Researcher Publications

An active list of publications by the research team related to decision-making about troop deployments and the results of deployments, in reverse chronological order.

• Allen, M.A., Flynn, M.E., Martinez Machain, C., and Smułek, G. 2025. “At the edge of war: Frontline ally support for the United States military.” International Interactions 51(2): 194–223.
• Allen, M.A., Flynn, M.E., and Martinez Machain, C. 2024. “Competing for consent: How U.S. deployments are shaping major power competition in Europe.” In Kardon, I. & Yeo, A. (Eds.), Great Power Competition and Overseas Bases: Chinese, Russian, and American Force Posture in the 21st Century. Brookings Institution Press.
• Martinez Machain, C. 2024. “School of influence: Human rights challenges in US foreign military training.” Conflict Management and Peace Science.
• Allen, M.A., Campbell, T., Hernandez, N., and Shepherd, V. 2023. “US Military Deployments and the Risk of Coup d’État.” Foreign Policy Analysis.
• Allen, M.A., Flynn, M.E., and Martinez Machain, C. 2022. “U.S. Global Military Deployments, 1950–2020.” Conflict Management and Peace Science 39(3): 351–370.
  
• Martinez Machain, C. 2021. “Exporting Influence: U.S. Military Training as Soft Power.” Journal of Conflict Resolution 65(2–3): 313–341.
• Stravers, A. 2021. “Pork, parties, and priorities: Partisan politics and overseas military deployments.” Conflict Management and Peace Science 38(2): 156–177.
• Martinez Machain, C., Nieman, M., Chyzh, O., and Bell, S. “An International Game of Risk: Troop Placement and Major Power Competition.” Journal of Politics.
• Flynn, M.E., Martinez Machain, C., and Stoyan, A. 2019. “Building Trust: The Effect of U.S. Development-Oriented Troop Deployments on Public Opinion in Peru.” International Studies Quarterly 63(3): 742–755.
• Bell, S.R., Flynn, M.E., and Martinez Machain, C. 2018. “UN Peacekeeping Forces and the Demand for Sex Trafficking.” International Studies Quarterly 62(3): 643–655.
• Bell, S.R., Clay, K.C., and Martinez Machain, C. 2017. “The effect of US troop deployments on human rights.” Journal of Conflict Resolution 61(10): 2020–2042.
• Allen, M.A., Flynn, M.E., and VanDusky-Allen, J. 2017. “Regions of hierarchy and security: US troop deployments, spatial relations, and defense burdens.” International Interactions 43(3): 397–423.
• Allen, M.A., VanDusky-Allen, J., and Flynn, M.E. 2016. “The localized and spatial effects of US troop deployments on host-state defense spending.” Foreign Policy Analysis 12(4): 674–694.
• Allen, M.A. and Flynn, M.E. 2013. “Putting our best boots forward: US military deployments and host-country crime.” Conflict Management and Peace Science 30(3): 263–285.
• Martinez Machain, C. and Morgan, T.C. 2013. “The effect of US troop deployment on host states’ foreign policy.” Armed Forces & Society 39(1): 102–123.