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
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
12th Marine Littoral: We visit a newly formed U.S. Marine Corps unit based in Japan
Mark F. Cancian in NPR — April 10, 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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Inside DOD’s FY 2025 Budget
Can South Korean 105-Millimeter Ammunition Rescue Ukraine?
Commentary by Mark F. Cancian and Chris H. Park — March 22, 2024
Reforming the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Process
Event — March 8, 2024
Air Supplies to Gaza: Commendable Political Theater but No Long-Term Solution
Critical Questions by Mark F. Cancian — March 7, 2024
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
Security in the Western Pacific: Building Future Capabilities in the Time of AUKUS
Event — January 12, 2024
Security in the Western Pacific: Building Future Capabilities in the Time of AUKUS
Report by Mark F. Cancian — January 12, 2024
“Security in the Western Pacific: Building Future Capabilities in the Time of AUKUS”: Audio Brief with Mark Cancian
Podcast Episode by Mark F. Cancian — January 12, 2024
The Impact of Ending Military Aid to Ukraine: Gradual Decline, Then Collapse
Critical Questions by Mark F. Cancian — December 19, 2023
“Can the United States Equip Israel while Simultaneously Equipping Ukraine and Taiwan?”: Audio Brief with Mark Cancian
Podcast Episode by Mark F. Cancian — October 16, 2023