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G
E N E R A L
D I S A R M
A M E N T |
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In 1998, the National
Center for Economic and Security Alternatives established a
new program on Security and Disarmament, to increase the visibility
and viability of the concept of general disarmament. This program
incorporates international networking, public education, training,
research, and analysis. Its premise is that the time has come
to place the subject of general and complete disarmament back
on the national and international policy agenda.
We believe this
period is an opportune time to bring renewed attention to
general disarmament:
- The
collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War
make it possible to reopen this issue. Cold War security
policies left little room for consideration of general disarmament,
despite successive Presidents' rhetorical commitment.
- Dealing
fully with nuclear issues inevitably forces the consideration
of both nuclear and conventional weapons. For example, it
will be difficult to make serious progress with Pakistan
and India on nuclear or conventional weapons issues as long
as China retains its nuclear weapons. China will not disarm
unless Russia does, and Russia awaits moves from the United
States.
- Research
and analysis of conventional and nuclear proliferation issues
has produced an excellent resource base. This material will
be extremely useful in pursuing a serious and systematic
investigation of the preconditions for and obstacles to
general disarmament.
This work will require
sustained effort over at least a decade. Yet the costs of
such an effort are far outweighed by both the near-term and
potential long-term benefits. In the short- to medium-run,
we plan to help train analysts, activists, and academics who
will carry out intensive research on how to bring about general
disarmament, help reshape the policy debate and the climate
within which general disarmament is discussed, and build an
international network to mobilize support for the serious
examination and discussion of the idea among concerned members
of the public, academics, analysts, journalists, and government
officials.
In the longer term,
the potential benefits of general disarmament include:
- Decreasing
the likelihood of conflict. While arms races tend to exacerbate
tensions, negotiated, verified build-downs encourage cooperation
and mutual trust, as we have seen in Europe over the past
decade and a half.
- Preventing
new rivalries. The potential for a new cold war, possibly
between the Atlantic powers and China, is disturbingly real.
Sustaining a dialogue towards and possibly creating a disarmament
regime would go a long way towards defusing thisconflict.
- Reducing
the damage of conflict. As increased attention to light
weapons has reminded us, the vast majority of deaths in
recent conflicts have occurred in small-scale conflict involving
small arms and light weapons. As excessive military production
continues in the major powers, weapons are transferred through
a variety of legal and illegal means to conflict-prone regions.
- Increasing
the availability of funds for non-military programs. Reducing
military forces in the United States and abroad could increase
the available funding for programs for education, development,
sanitation, health, and relief of poverty and hunger.
General disarmament,
of course, is by no means a new topic; it has been endorsed
by many presidents, including Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy,
Johnson, and Clinton. In turn, the United States is committed
to pursue general disarmament by treaties such as the Non-Proliferation
Treaty. However, in recent years, only limited research and
policy work has been done on this issue.
Projects that attempt
to suggest new paradigms for analysis, research, and discussion
have precedents across the political spectrum. In recent years,
effective advocates of long-term investment in ideas have
changed the context within which key decisions have been made.
Major foundations with various political perspectives and
key individuals have made huge long-term investments in research
and policy development to help change the policy perspective
on issues such as the federal government's commitment to education
and its responsibility to individuals. For better and for
worse, such sustained long-term investments have helped change
the entire policy landscape and public debate in the United
States.
Although habitually
under funded and understaffed, advocates of nuclear disarmament
have also pursued their objective for decades, commonly in
the face of considerable skepticism. As a result of the end
of the Cold War and in part because of their sustained commitment,
the discussion of nuclear disarmament has recently entered
the political mainstream. Over the next decade, we hope to
bring discussions of general disarmament to the same level.
The most important first step is developing the necessary
research, analytic, and training capacity to thoroughly investigate
the long-term possibilities for and obstacles to a general
disarmament regime.
A major goal of
this project is to help create an intellectual and policy
environment in which a serious and carefully researched discussion
of general disarmament can take place. Through such a discussion,
we hope to contribute to policies which can ultimately help
reduce the level of international violence and increase international
stability.
To learn more about
the Program on Security
and Disarmament
contact:
E-mail:
alexc@ncesa.org
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