Despite multiple base closing rounds, the United States Department of Defense still has excess base capacity, and thus President Trump and high-level Defense Department officials are calling for more base closure through the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. However, another BRAC may not be the optimal solution, because simple base closure is not an efficient way to reduce surplus base capacity. Thus, Defense Department officials should consider other methods to reduce surplus capacity, including reduction in base size, leasing excess base property, or transferring it to another government agency for a variety of alternative uses. The surplus capacity issue also offers an opportunity to DOD to reassess base utilization, to update base requirements with current and future force structure. While BRAC focuses on American military bases, the process and alternatives also have international applications.

Middle East PolicyVolume 14, Issue 4 p. 1-22 North africa: Reform, Development and Islamism I. William Zartman, I. William Zartman The following is an edited transcript of the fiftieth in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on September 14, 2007 in the Caucus Room of the Cannon Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., presiding.Search for more papers by this authorReinhold Brender, Reinhold Brender The following is an edited transcript of the fiftieth in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on September 14, 2007 in the Caucus Room of the Cannon Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., presiding.Search for more papers by this authorDavid S. Sorenson, David S. Sorenson The following is an edited transcript of the fiftieth in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on September 14, 2007 in the Caucus Room of the Cannon Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., presiding.Search for more papers by this authorJohn P. Entelis, John P. Entelis The following is an edited transcript of the fiftieth in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on September 14, 2007 in the Caucus Room of the Cannon Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., presiding.Search for more papers by this authorWilliam Lawrence, William Lawrence The following is an edited transcript of the fiftieth in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on September 14, 2007 in the Caucus Room of the Cannon Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., presiding.Search for more papers by this author I. William Zartman, I. William Zartman The following is an edited transcript of the fiftieth in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on September 14, 2007 in the Caucus Room of the Cannon Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., presiding.Search for more papers by this authorReinhold Brender, Reinhold Brender The following is an edited transcript of the fiftieth in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on September 14, 2007 in the Caucus Room of the Cannon Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., presiding.Search for more papers by this authorDavid S. Sorenson, David S. Sorenson The following is an edited transcript of the fiftieth in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on September 14, 2007 in the Caucus Room of the Cannon Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., presiding.Search for more papers by this authorJohn P. Entelis, John P. Entelis The following is an edited transcript of the fiftieth in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on September 14, 2007 in the Caucus Room of the Cannon Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., presiding.Search for more papers by this authorWilliam Lawrence, William Lawrence The following is an edited transcript of the fiftieth in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on September 14, 2007 in the Caucus Room of the Cannon Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., presiding.Search for more papers by this author First published: 27 November 2007 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4967.2007.00321.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume14, Issue4Winter 2007Pages 1-22 RelatedInformation