Mark Cancian (Colonel, USMCR, ret.) is a senior adviser with the CSIS International Security Program. He joined CSIS in April 2015 from the Office of Management and Budget, where he spent more than seven years as chief of the Force Structure and Investment Division, working on issues such as Department of Defense budget strategy, war funding, and procurement programs, as well as nuclear weapons development and nonproliferation activities in the Department of Energy. Previously, he worked on force structure and acquisition issues in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and ran research and executive programs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. In the military, Colonel Cancian spent over three decades in the U.S. Marine Corps, active and reserve, serving as an infantry, artillery, and civil affairs officer and on overseas tours in Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Iraq (twice). Since 2000, he has been an adjunct faculty member at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, where he teaches a course on the connection between policy and analysis. A prolific author, he has published over 40 articles on military operations, acquisition, budgets, and strategy and received numerous writing awards. He graduated with high honors (magna cum laude) from Harvard College and with highest honors (Baker scholar) from Harvard Business School.
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Featured
The First Battle of the Next War: Wargaming a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan
CSIS wargamed a Chinese invasion of Taiwan 24 times and found that Taiwan would endure as a democratic and independent entity in most scenarios. However, the costs were enormous. Victory is not enough. The United States needs to strengthen deterrence to avoid war.
Report by Mark F. Cancian, Matthew Cancian, and Eric Heginbotham — January 9, 2023
In the News
Ukraine is finally getting more US aid. It won’t win the war — but it can save them from defeat.
Mark F. Cancian in Vox — April 24, 2024
US Lawmakers Pass New Ukraine Aid After Costly Delay
Mark F. Cancian in AFP — April 20, 2024
Major trends and takeaways from the Defense Department’s Unfunded Priority Lists
Mark F. Cancian in Breaking Defense — April 19, 2024
Here are the U.S. congressional districts benefiting from Ukraine aid
Mark F. Cancian in The Washington Post — April 18, 2024
Ukraine’s air defense pleas spotlight Patriot bottleneck
Mark F. Cancian in Defense News — April 16, 2024
Ukraine’s air defense pleas spotlight Patriot bottleneck
Mark F. Cancian in Defense News — April 16, 2024
In the Arctic, American commandos game out a great-power war
Mark F. Cancian in The Washington Post — April 11, 2024
Okinawa feels impact of U.S. and Japan military shifts
Mark F. Cancian in NPR — April 10, 2024
All Mark F. Cancian Content
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2024 Global Forecast: Conflict Zones
Digital Report by Mark F. Cancian, Max Bergmann, and Maria Snegovaya, Romina Bandura, Kathleen McInnis, Elizabeth Hoffman, Eliot A. Cohen, Daniel Byman, Jon B. Alterman, Natasha Hall, Emily Harding, Craig Cohen, Alex Kisling — February 2, 2024
The Mattis Resignation: What Does It Mean for the Future of National Security?
Critical Questions by Mark F. Cancian, Todd Harrison, and Andrew Philip Hunter — December 21, 2018
Fiscal Futures, U.S. Forces, and Strategic Choices
Report by Mark F. Cancian and Todd Harrison — November 16, 2015
FYSA: For Your Situational Awareness l Issue 19
Newsletter by Mark F. Cancian, Gregory Sanders, and Sharon Squassoni — May 29, 2015
FYSA: For Your Situational Awareness l Issue 18
Newsletter by Mark F. Cancian, Andrew Philip Hunter, Jaimie Hoskins, and Melissa Dalton — April 29, 2015
Defense Reform Consensus
Newsletter by Mark F. Cancian, Maren Leed, Dov Zakheim, and Kathleen H. Hicks — April 29, 2015