Reliability and Alliance Interdependence

In Reliability and Alliance Interdependence, Iain D. Henry argues for a more sophisticated approach to alliance politics and ideas of interdependence.

It is often assumed that if the United States failed to defend an ally, then this disloyalty would instantly and irrevocably damage US alliances across the globe. Henry proposes that such damage is by no means inevitable and that predictions of disaster are dangerously simplistic. If other allies fear the risks of military escalation more than the consequences of the United States abandoning an ally, then they will welcome, encourage, and even praise such an instance of disloyalty. It is also often assumed that alliance interdependence only constrains US policy options, but Henry shows how the United States can manipulate interdependence to set an example of what constitutes acceptable allied behavior.

Using declassified documents, Henry explores five case studies involving US alliances with South Korea, Japan, the Republic of China, the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand. Reliability and Alliance Interdependence makes a substantial contribution to our understanding of how America's alliances in Asia function as an interdependent system.

Iain D. Henry is Senior Lecturer at the Strategic and Defense Studies Centre at Australian National University. Follow him on X @IainDHenry.

This book makes a significant contribution to the debates on alliances that will appeal to international relations scholars, area studies specialists, and policy practitioners. It sheds new light on alliance theory, US foreign policy, and Asian regional security and provides scholars with a more nuanced conceptual toolkit with which to examine alliance dynamics.

Brian Blankenship, author of The Burden-Sharing Dilemma:

Despite sustained scholarly attention to the subject of reputation, Iain Henry's Reliability and Alliance Interdependence still finds a way to make a powerful contribution. In reframing the debate around reputation in international relations from a focus on loyalty and credibility to one on reliability, Reliability and Alliance Interdependence not only invites scholars and policymakers to rethink reputation, but also pushes forward the study of alliance politics. The book is essential reading for those interested in either field of study.

Michael J. Green, author of By More Than Providence:

Reliability and Alliance Interdependence marks an important turning point in the study of international relations in Asia. In order to understand alliances scholars must return to the kind of approach Henry provides, combining deep historical inquiry with theoretical context and methodological rigor.

Rachel Tecott Metz, George Washington University:

This is an important book. Assumptions that the fate of the United States hinges on US loyalty to every ally in every context leads the United States to overextend itself in peace and to fight catastrophic wars. Reliability and Alliance Interdependence is international relations research at its best: it contains compelling theory, strong evidence, and prescriptions that, if heeded, could steer the United States towards a more prudent foreign policy.

Jennifer Lind, Dartmouth College, author of Sorry States:

Hawks urge the United States to embark on—or stay in—costly wars, claiming that a US reputation for loyalty is essential for maintaining American alliances across the globe. In this terrific book, Iain D. Henry challenges this view, arguing that an ally's credibility depends largely on shared interests.

Robert S. Ross, Boston College, author of Chinese Security Policy:

Well written and important, Reliability and Alliance Interdependence combines substantial archival research with sophisticated theoretical and empirical analysis of small-power entrapment concerns. By focusing on alliance interdependence affecting both dependent states and great powers, Iain Henry sheds light on key issues in security studies.