241. World-Wide Conventional Arms Trade (1994-2000): A Forecast and Analysis
- Publication Date:
- 12-1994
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Center for Defense Information
- Abstract:
- The end of the Cold War has had a major impact on global trade in conventional armaments, just as it has on most facets of national security and defense. The nature of global demand for arms has shifted from the context of rivalry between superpowers and their associated client states to providing for national defense within the context of regional security needs. While these changes have led to a decline in total global demand for arms, countries continue to seek to acquire substantial amounts of increasingly sophisticated weapons. Ironically, in many respects, the post-Cold War world is more unstable than the Cold War era, and is characterized by increased violence, by increased proliferation of military technology, and by the potential for these trends to continue. In this context, while the nature of the political-military issues that the U.S. and friendly nations now confront has changed, arms exports will continue to be a means of advancing U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives.
- Topic:
- Security, Foreign Policy, NATO, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Economics
- Political Geography:
- United States