Advanced search Help
Resource Type or Special Collection is CRS Reports
Clear all search criteria
Only 2/3! You are seeing results from the Public Collection, not the complete Full Collection. Sign in to search everything (see eligibility).
-
Terrorism, the Media, and the Government: Perspectives, Trends, and Options for Policymakers [October 22, 1997]
"This report article examines competing perspectives on the desired role for the media when covering terrorist incidents, and who wants what from the media: what the terrorist wants, what the government wants, and what the media wants when covering a terrorist event. It then addresses three trends that impact on the relationship between terrorism and the media and concludes with options for consideration. It is intended for Members and staff who cover terrorism and will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Perl, Raphael
1997-10-22
-
Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1989-1996 [August 13, 1997]
"This report provides unclassified background data from U.S. government sources on transfers of conventional arms to developing nations by major suppliers for the period 1989 through 1996. It also includes some data on world-wide supplier transactions. It updates and revises the report entitled 'Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1988-1995,' by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) on August 15, 1995 (CRS Report 96-677F). The data in the report illustrate how global patterns of conventional arms transfers have changed in the post-Cold War and post-Persian Gulf War years. Relationships between arms suppliers and recipients continue to evolve in reaction to changing political, military, and economic circumstances. Despite global changes since the Cold War's end, the developing world continues to be the primary focus of foreign arms sales activity by conventional weapons suppliers. During the period of this report, 1989-1996, conventional arms transfers to developing nations have comprised 67.5% of the value of all international arms transfers. More recently, arms transfer agreements, which represent orders for future delivery, have shifted slightly from the developing nations. But the portion of agreements with developing countries still constituted 63.2% of all agreements globally from 1993-1996. In 1996, arms transfer agreements, comprised 61% of the value of all such agreements globally. In the period from 1993-1996, deliveries of conventional arms to developing nations represented 70.9% of the value of all international arms deliveries. In 1996, arms deliveries to developing nations constituted over 73.9% of the value of all such arms deliveries worldwide."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Grimmett, Richard F.
1997-08-13
-
Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses [April 11, 1997]
"In 1990 and 1991, approximately 697,000 U.S. troops were deployed in the Persian Gulf during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The United States suffered relatively few casualties during the brief air and ground war against Iraq. Since returning home, however, many veterans have developed illnesses that appear to be related to their military service in the Gulf. Researchers caution that it may be impossible to identify the causes of these illnesses because of the absence of baseline data on the health of military personnel and the lack of reliable exposure data. This report provides concise answers to a series of questions concerning Gulf War veterans' illnesses, based on currently available scientific information."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Redhead, C. Stephen
1997-04-11
-
Mexico's Anti-Drug Efforts: Effects of Past U.S. Pressures and Sanctions [March 13, 1997]
"This report provides an analysis of past U.S. pressures and sanctions on Mexico related to drug trafficking and the effect that this action had on Mexico's cooperation in counter-narcotics efforts. After examining the interplay of U.S. congressional action and Mexico's narcotics control efforts from roughly 1975 to 1994, the report concludes that the effects are mixed and not entirely clear. When conditions were imposed in the mid- 1980s, the late 1980s, and the early 1990s, Mexico reduced anti-drug cooperation. At other times, Mexico appeared to be more cooperative as drug certification decisions were approaching."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Storrs, K. Larry (Keith Larry), 1937-
1997-03-13
-
Cuba-U.S. Relations: A Chronology of Key Events, 1959 - 1996 [Updated February 18, 1997]
"This chronology outlines major events in U.S.-Cuban relations, from Fidel Castro's rise to power in 1959 through 1996. More detailed information is provided for events since 1993, including the dates of congressional hearings and legislative action, the migration issue, the human rights situation in Cuba, and the Cuban government's implementation of limited economic reforms. Dates are also provided for United Nations resolutions on both the U.S. embargo and the human rights situation in Cuba. For additional information on human rights issues, the State Department's annual human rights report on Cuba provides details of individual cases and trends in the human rights situation. Another excellent source of human rights information is provided in the annual report of the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Cuba."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Sullivan, Mark P.
1997-02-18
-
Immigration: Reasons for Growth, 1981-1995 [February 12, 1997]
"Legal immigration to the United States has increased sharply in recent years, and shows no signs of slowing down. The question of why immigration has grown so rapidly and the implications of this growth for the future are expected to be issues in the 105th Congress. Primarily because of legislation enacted in 1980 and 1986, the numerical restrictions of the basic family and employment-based immigration preference system became less significant. The growth in legal immigration during the past 15 years came in three groups admitted outside these numerical limits -- legalized aliens, refugees, and numerically exempt immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. For example, about 2.8 million illegal or undocumented aliens were 'legalized' between 1981 and 1995."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Vialet, Joyce C.
1997-02-12
-
Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1988-1995 [August 15, 1996]
"Developing nations continue to be the primary focus of foreign arms sales activity by weapons suppliers. During the years 1988-1995, the value of arms transfer agreements with developing nations comprised, on average, 69.4% of all such agreements worldwide. More recently, arms transfer agreements have declined generally, but those with developing nations still constituted 63.4% of all such agreements globally from 1992-1995. The value of all arms transfer agreements with developing nations in 1995 was $15.4 billion. This was the lowest yearly total, in real terms, for any of the years during the 1988-1995 period. The value of new arms transfer agreements with developing nations has declined for five consecutive years since 1990 when arms agreements rose during the Persian Gulf war. By contrast, in 1995, the value of all arms deliveries to developing nations ($21.6 billion in constant 1995 dollars) was the first increase in deliveries values from the previous year during the 1988-1995 period. The United States has been the predominant arms supplier to developing nations during the period from 1992-1995. During these years, the United States accounted for 45.3% of the value of all arms transfer agreements with developing nations ($40.6 billion in constant 1995 dollars). France, the second leading supplier during this period, made $18.8 billion in arms transfer agreements (in constant 1995 dollars) or nearly 21% of all developing world agreements."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Grimmett, Richard F.
1996-08-15
-
Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996: A Summary [June 3, 1996]
"The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 is the product of legislative efforts stretching back well over a decade and stimulated to passage in part by the tragedies in Oklahoma City and the World Trade Center. Title I of the Act substantially amends federal habeas corpus law as it applies to both state and federal prisoners whether on death row or imprisoned for a term of years by providing: a bar on federal habeas reconsideration of legal and factual issues ruled upon by state courts in most instances; creation of a general 1 year statute of limitations ; creation of a 6 month statute of limitation in death penalty cases; encouragement for states to appoint counsel for indigent state death row inmates during state habeas or unitary appellate proceedings; and a requirement of appellate court approval for repetitious habeas petitions. Title II recasts federal law concerning restitution, expands the circumstances under which foreign governments that support terrorism may be sued for resulting injuries, and increases the assistance and compensation available to the victims of terrorism. Title III is crafted to help sever international terrorists from their sources of financial and material support. It enlarges the proscriptions against assisting in the commission of various terrorist crimes. It authorizes the regulation of fundraising by foreign organizations associated with terrorist activities. It adjusts the Foreign Assistance Act to help isolate countries who support terrorists and to bolster counterterrorism efforts in those who oppose them. "
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Doyle, Charles
1996-06-03
-
Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1987-1994 [August 4, 1995]
"Developing nations continue to be the primary focus of foreign arms sales activity by weapons suppliers. During the years 1987-1994, the value of arms transfer agreements with developing nations comprised, on average, 72% of all such agreements worldwide. In 1994, the value of arms transfer agreements with developing nations constituted 71% of all arms transfer agreements worldwide. The value of all arms transfer agreements with developing nations in 1994 was $25.4 billion. This was the lowest yearly total, in real terms, for any of the years during the 1987-1994 period. It is, however, only a slight reduction (-0.2%) from 1993. The general decline in the value of new arms transfer agreements with the developing nations seen in recent years was dramatically reversed in 1990 as the result of major new arms agreements related to the Gulf War. However, in 1991 the pattern of overall decline in the value of arms transfer agreements with developing nations resumed. This pattern of decline continued in 1994. Notably, in 1994 the value of all arms deliveries to developing nations ($14.4 billion) was the lowest total for any year during the 1987-1994 period. This is the seventh consecutive year since 1987 that the value of all arms deliveries to developing nations declined from the previous year's total. The United States has been the predominant arms supplier to developing nations since the Cold War's end. During the 1991-1994 period, the United States accounted for 47.7% of the value of all arms transfer agreements with developing nations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Grimmett, Richard F.
1995-08-04
-
U.N. Rapid Reaction Force? A Discussion of the Issues and Considerations for U.S. Policymakers [June 29, 1995]
"U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali recently called for Member States to consider creating a special U.N. force for U.N. peacekeeping operations. In a January 1995 report he proposed that the U.N. consider establishing a 'strategic reserve' rapid reaction force (RRF), perhaps of battalion-sized units, to deploy when emergency needs for peacekeeping troops arise. They would be stationed in their home countries, but would be trained to the standards, use the same operating procedures and equipment, participate in regular joint exercises, and otherwise be maintained at a high state of readiness in order to respond quickly to a U.N. call for their deployment. Although proposals for a U.N. force dedicated to peace operations were made by former presidents Bush and Reagan, and by presidential candidate William J. Clinton, the Clinton Administration backed away from the concept. In its May 1994 Presidential Decision Directive 25 (PDD-25), the Administration stated that the United States 'does not support a standing U.N. army ... ' The Clinton Administration supported, however, the establishment of the U.N. Standby Forces system, through which Member States formally commit individuals and units to be provided within a specified period of a U.N. request for peacekeeping assistance, in order to enable the U.N. to structure peacekeeping forces more effectively. […] Among the domestic political considerations of establishing an RRF is the possible reduction of congressional and other domestic input into the decision-making process on peacekeeping operations. Among the issues for the U.S. military is whether the U.N. would rely on the United States' unique lift capabilities to deploy the RRF."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Serafino, Nina M.
1995-06-29
-
Chemical Agent Attacks in Japan [May 4, 1995]
"The release of the nerve agent Sarin in Tokyo's subway system on March 20, marks the first clearly non-state terrorist use of chemical weapons. The agent was highly diluted and fatalities were relatively few (10), though the number of injured was substantial (5,000+, with 600 hospitalized). This incident clearly indicates the potential political effectiveness of chemical weapons against an unprotected civilian population. Once a population has been sensitized by an incident like this, even the threat of CW can become significantly disruptive. Some have credited fear of another attack with contributing to the cautiousness of the Japanese police investigation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bowman, Steve
1995-05-04
-
Intelligence Implications of the Military Technical Revolution [May 1, 1995]
"The availability of precision guided munitions (PGMs) and precise intelligence transmitted in 'real time' lies at the center of a military technical revolution that is changing the ways in which future military operations are likely to be planned and conducted. This revolution requires changes in the functions and organization of the U.S. Intelligence Community. During the decades of the Cold War, intelligence agencies were organized around collection disciplines, e.g., signals intelligence, photographic intelligence, and human intelligence. Collection efforts were managed by Washington-based agencies, principally, the National Security Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Central Intelligence Agency. Their efforts were largely (but by not means exclusively) directed towards supporting senior policymakers in dealing with the threat from the Soviet Union. Support to military operations was provided by service intelligence organizations using information that became available from national-level agencies. [...] The Intelligence Community, with congressional support and encouragement, is being restructured to ensure that support to military commanders assigned regional and peacekeeping missions has a high priority. Relationships between national and tactical systems are being rationalized. New surveillance equipment and communications links are being procured. Personnel are being trained to draw upon all the resources of the Intelligence Community to provide real-time support to military operations. There are major challenges remaining, however, to ensure that this process of intelligence 'tacticalization' goes smoothly, that interoperability among equipment used by different services and intelligence agencies is achieved, and that a reasonable relationship between force structure, intelligence and communications 'architectures,' and likely operational missions in the uncertain post-Cold War world is maintained.Some observers have also expressed concern that national intelligence not be neglected as necessary adaptations to the military technical revolution are implemented."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Best, Richard A.
1995-05-01
-
Conventional Arms Transfers to the Third World, 1986-1993 [July 29, 1994]
"The Third World continues to be the primary focus of foreign arms sales activity by weapons suppliers. During the years 1986-1993, the value of arms transfer agreements with the Third World comprised 71.7% of all such agreements worldwide. In 1993, the value of arms transfer agreements with the Third World constituted 64.2% of all arms transfer agreements worldwide. The value of all arms transfer agreements with the Third World in 1993 was $20.4 billion. This was by far the lowest yearly total, calculated in either nominal or real terms, for any of the years during the 1986-1993 period. The general decline in the value of new arms transfer agreements with the Third World seen in recent years was dramatically reversed in 1990 as the result of major new arms agreements related to the Gulf War. However, in 1991 the pattern of overall decline in the value of arms transfer agreements with the Third World resumed in an equally dramatic fashion. This pattern of decline continued in 1993. At the same time, in 1993 the value of all arms deliveries to the Third World ($15 billion) was the lowest total, in nominal and real terms, by a substantial margin for any year during the 1986-1993 period. This is the sixth consecutive year since 1987 that the value of all arms deliveries to the Third World dropped significantly. The United States has become the predominant arms supplier to the Third World since the Cold War's end. During the 1990-1993 period, the United States accounted for 52.2% of the value of all arms transfer agreements with the Third World."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Grimmett, Richard F.
1994-07-29
-
Theater Missile Defense: Indigenous Programs and Interest Among U.S. Friends and Allies [May 5, 1994]
The threat posed by weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, especially missiles, is a growing international concern. Most nations seek to deal with this threat through a combination of arms control and military measures. Only a few allies and friends of the United States, however, appear apprehensive and are considering or seeking to acquire advanced theater missile defense (TMD) capabilities to deal with these threats. Some nations are satisfied with the limited TMD capability they have in the Patriot antitactical missile system, which is designed to defend small areas. Some nations in Europe, such as France and Germany, are beginning to think about acquiring TMD to defend troops they may have deployed overseas in peacekeeping roles, for example. Likewise, nations such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are considering TMD development and procurement in response to perceived regional threats. But only in the case of Israel does a U.S. friend or ally appear committed to acquiring additional TMD capabilities. TMD efforts among U.S. allies and friends are revealing. Most countries who have acquired Patriot antitactical missile systems have negotiated offset agreements that ensure there is not an excessive flow of resources or money out of their country. A number of countries have also received contracts from the United States to conduct TMD research and development, investing relatively little of their own resources. There is little other TMD cooperation among U.S. allies and friends, and the only indigenous TMD programs in other countries remain simply options as they upgrade their alr- defense capabilities.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hildreth, Steven A.
1994-05-05
-
Navy DDG-51 Destroyer Procurement Rate: Issues and Options for Congress [April 25, 1994]
"Congress has procured 29 Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyers since FY1985; the first 3 had entered service by the end of 1993. The DDG-51 program is one of the Department of the Navy's highest-priority procurement programs. The Administration wants to continue procuring 3 DDG-51s per year (28 total through FY2004), at a current cost of about $900 million per ship. The issue for Congress is whether to modernize the Navy's surface combatant force by maintaining the DDG-51 procurement rate at 3 ships per year or by adopting a different modernization strategy. Congress' decision on this issue could have important implications for DoD [Department of Defense] funding requirements, U.S. military capabilities, and the U.S. defense industrial base. […] With a very substantial amount of additional, non-DDG-51 work, a procurement rate of 2 ships per year might sustain two yards, but at a higher level of risk to the survival of the yards. Giving additional, non-DDG 51 work to one or both of the DDG-51 yards may require an explicit policy decision to not give this work to other private or public shipyards."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
1994-04-25
-
Hamas: The Organizations, Goals and Tactics of a Militant Palestinian Organization [October 14, 1993]
"The United States has taken a strong stand against Hamas because of its use of violence and its opposition to U.S. interests in the Middle East. There is added concern on the part of U.S. policymakers because of reports that Hamas is receiving support from Iran and is collaborating with its Lebanese client, Hizbullah. The Hamas representative in Iran denied the PLO allegation that it had received $30 million from Iran in 1992, but he acknowledged Iranian assistance to `Palestinian groups.' There are few particulars about Hamas collaboration with Hizbullah; the inference is that Hamas militants have been given refuge in southern Lebanon where they receive training and support from Hizbullah guerrillas. The accumulation of evidence was persuasive enough to convince the State Department to add Hamas to its list of groups known to use terrorist means, issued in April 1993."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
1993-10-14
-
Conventional Arms Transfers in the Post-Cold War Era [September 28, 1993]
"Conventional arms transfers in the post-Cold War Era are likely to be notably different from those that occurred prior to the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, the reunification of Germany, and the subsequent outbreak of ethnic and regional conflicts. This report reviews some of the recent changes in conventional arms transfer patterns, discusses some of the possible near term trends in conventional arms transfers, and notes some implications of these prospective trends."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Grimmett, Richard F.
1993-09-28
-
Conventional Arms Transfers to the Third World, 1985-1992 [July 19, 1993]
"The major political and economic transitions wrought by the end of the Cold War continued in 1992, resulting in a significant impact on the Third World arms marketplace. The formal dissolution of the Soviet Union contributed to a sharp fall in Russia's arms agreements, while the United States remained the undisputed leader in arms sales to the Third World. Continued reductions in domestic defense spending in many nations became a matter of acute concern to their weapons exporting industries, leading to intense competition among suppliers for new arms deals throughout the globe. Despite initial optimism about their prospects, talks aimed at controlling destabilizing conventional arms transfers to the Near East region, in the wake of the Persian Gulf war, did not produce a major new control regime."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Grimmett, Richard F.
1993-07-19
-
Theater Ballistic Missile Defense Policy, Missions and Programs: Current Status [June 10,1993]
"Theater missile defenses (TMD) increasingly are an important national security priority. But interest in TMD is not a recent development. Throughout the 1980s, Congress urged the executive branch to pursue a vigorous program to counter the threat of Soviet short range missiles in Europe. The result was mixed, and generally not to the satisfaction of Congress. The end of the Cold War and the rise of new challenges brought new emphasis to U.S. TMD efforts. This new effort is focused on addressing the threat arising from the global proliferation of missiles and weapons of mass destruction. The military services have identified several TMD requirements: active defenses, passive defenses, counterforce operations, and command control communications and intelligence. These requirements form the four main elements of the TMD program. The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), formerly the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO), is in charge of the entire TMD effort. The military services and other defense agencies largely fill a supporting role. Most of the current TMD program is focused on developing active defense systems. Each of the four military services is pursuing interceptor programs designed for deployment in the near and far term. The immediate objective is to acquire some limited capabilities for addressing potential missile threats over the next several years. Additional, advanced TMD capabilities will be acquired later in this decade and beyond. Unexpected dramatic increases in the TMD budget and the surfeit of TMD programs suggest a critical review. Such a review might lead to significant budget savings."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hildreth, Steven A.
1993-06-10
-
Biotechnology, Indigenous Peoples, and Intellectual Property Rights [April 16, 1993]
"Plant and animal species are estimated to become extinct as a result of natural processes at a rate of one to ten species a year. But human activities and the destruction of habitat are calculated to increase the extinction rate to 10,000-150,000 species a year. This process threatens the gene pool base that is important for food crops, undermines ecological balance, raises moral concerns about humankind's relationship with other species, adversely affects the development of new products useful to the modern world, and causes the demise of indigenous peoples dependent upon their immediate habitat. Several decades ago pharmaceutical companies and government research agencies devoted substantial efforts to screening plants and animals for useful medicinal properties. But the lack of widespread success and government budget cuts led to a decline in biodiversity screening in the 1970s in favor of efforts to synthesize new drugs in the laboratory. Now there has been a resurgence of interest in biodiversity screening. That resurgence has also been accompanied by a concern in some quarters to involve indigenous peoples in the screening process. […] Developing countries that host most indigenous peoples have generally subordinated protection for intellectual property to concerns about rapid economic development. The rights of indigenous peoples are as yet ill-defined. Existing and proposed international agreements pertaining to intellectual property provide little support for the notion. And the requirements of U.S. patent law that an invention be novel, useful, non-obvious, and not be a product of nature appear to be insuperable obstacles to any domestic protection for such knowledge."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Axt, Josephine R.; Corn, M. Lynne (Mary Lynne), 1946-; Ackerman, David M.
1993-04-16
-
Conventional Arms Transfers to the Third World, 1984-1991 [July 20, 1992]
"The major political transitions wrought by the end of the Cold War continued in 1991, resulting in a significant impact on the Third World arms marketplace. The disintegration of the Soviet Union contributed to a sharp fall in Soviet arms agreements, while the United States remained the leader in arms sales to the Third World. The U.N. embargo against Iraq dropped Baghdad from being one of the largest Third World arms purchasers, leading to intense competition among former suppliers for new arms deals elsewhere. Reductions in domestic defense spending in many nations became a matter of acute concern to their weapons exporting industries. Further, in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf war, a number of initiatives were launched to control destabilizing conventional arms transfers, especially to the Near East region. The value of all arms transfer agreements with the Third World in 1991 was $24.7 billion. This was by far the lowest yearly total, calculated in either nominal or real terms, for any of the years during the 1984-1991 period. The general decline in the value of new arms transfer agreements with the Third World seen in recent years was dramatically reversed in 1990 as the result of major new arms agreements related to the Gulf War. However, in 1991, the pattern of overall decline in the value of arms transfer agreements with the Third World resumed in an equally dramatic fashion."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Grimmett, Richard F.
1992-07-20
-
Basic Questions on U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization [March 3, 1992]
"This report answers the following questions: Who is a United States citizen at birth? How does one become a naturalized citizen? Must citizens take loyalty oaths? What is the required period of residency prior to being eligible for citizenship? Is a citizenship revocable? If so, under what circumstances? Finally, are there provisions for dual citizenship? If so, under what circumstances?"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Eig, Larry M.
1992-03-03
-
Women in the Armed Forces [November 20, 1991]
"The number of women in the armed forces steadily increased from less than 2% at the end of FY1972 to 11% in September 1990. The percentages vary among the services from less than 5% for the Marines to more than 13% for the Air Force. Parallel with the increase in the number of women in the armed forces has been a gradual removal of restrictions against women in the military services and the kind of jobs they could hold. For several years one issue has been whether to continue to expand the proportion of women in the armed forces. The perception of need for military women could change if a planned reduction in the armed forces occurred in response to world events and an adequate pool of qualified males. The major issue for several years has been whether to remove the principal remaining restriction, the ban against women in combat. Past legislation has prohibited the assignment of women to vessels and aircraft assigned combat missions in the Navy and aircraft assigned combat missions in the Air Force. […] Opinion in the United States is deeply divided on the fundamental issues involved: Would national security in the future be jeopardized or strengthened by increasing the proportion of women in the armed forces and allowing them in combat? Should women have equal opportunities and responsibilities in national defense, or do role and physical differences and the protection of future generations justify continuation of the combat ban? Current law requiring draft registration of males only and proposals for an Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution have raised these same issues."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Collier, Ellen C.
1991-11-20
-
Persian Gulf War: Defense-Policy Implications for Congress [May 15, 1991]
"The Persian Gulf War will influence congressional views on U.S. defense policy for many years. In considering the defense-policy implications of the Gulf War, a major task for Congress is to determine in what ways the Gulf War is an indicator for future conflicts involving U.S. military forces, and in what ways it is an anomalous case unlikely to be repeated. The Gulf War has led some Members to question whether U.S. military force structure should be reduced as much as called for under the Administration's proposed FY1992-FY1997 defense plan. The war appears to have reinforced support for high-tech weapons. The performance of the Patriot anti missile system is being cited as a new argument for developing strategic and theater ballistic missile defenses. The war demonstrated the growing importance of space systems to the U.S. military. […] The war appears to have validated many aspects of U.S. policy regarding reserve forces, but may lead to a reassessment of the reserve round-out combat brigades. It highlighted issues regarding women, minorities, and parents in the military. The war appears to have validated the wartime value of the Goldwater-Nichols act reorganizing the Defense Department. In the wake of the war, members of the military reform movement may need to reassess some of their views, but can argue that others were validated. The war highlighted the U.S. defense industrial base's growing dependence on foreign-made components. The war may lead to changes in U.S. and foreign policies on exports of weapons and military technology to the Third World."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
O'Rourke, Ronald
1991-05-15
-
Women in the Military: Bibliography in Brief [May 14, 1991]
"This bibliography presents literature on the participation of women in the U.S. armed forces. It includes discussions of the combat restriction, the mobilization of women during Operation Desert Storm, and the demographics of women's participation in the military. The focus is on literature from 1988 to the present but several older works have been included to insure historical coverage of the issue."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Shapiro, Sherry B., 1952-
1991-05-14
-
Desert Shield and Desert Storm Implications for Future U.S. Force Requirements [April 19, 1991]
"Desert Shield and Desert Storm were spectacular successes by almost any standards. Postmortem specialists who attempt to extract 'lessons learned' from that experience nevertheless would be well advised to proceed cautiously, because campaigns against Iraq unfolded under conditions that may not again pertain. This preliminary assessment summarizes U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps performance during the recent war, then relates it to past experience and potential threats in ways that might help decision makers determine the most suitable characteristics of U .S. armed forces for the rest of this decade. […] Finally, the study is skeptical of contentions that Desert Shield and Desert Storm 'proved' the permanent ascendancy of any strategy, tactics, or armed service. Requisite forces and formulas might be quite different at future times and in dissimilar places."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Collins, John M., 1921-
1991-04-19
-
Non-Proliferation Regimes: A Comparative Analysis of Policies to Control the Spread of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons and Missiles [April 1, 1991]
The Bush Administration released a statement on March 7, 1991 declaring, "The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction may profoundly challenge our national security in the 1990s." In preparing to meet that challenge, United States non-proliferation policies have been the catalyst for global efforts to control the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and missiles. Continued U.S. leadership may serve as a model for other nations to follow and could encourage expansion of the international consensus against the various forms of proliferation.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Davis, Zachary S., 1955-
1991-04-01
-
Military and Civilian Satellites in Support of Allied Forces in the Persian Gulf War [February 27, 1991]
"The Persian Gulf War is the first large scale U.S. military action for which a large array of satellite systems is available for supporting military operations. From communications to navigation to intelligence gathering, apace assets have proved invaluable. The Department of Defense (DOD) has conducted its Own space program since the Space Age began, but its activities are less well known that those of the civilian National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Since FY 1982, however, DOD's space budget has been larger than NASA's. In FY 1991, for example, the estimated DOD space budget is $18 billion compared to $13.9 billion for NASA Most of this funding is for the development, procurement, launch, and operation of satellite for communications, navigation, weather forecasting, intelligence gathering, and early warning of missile launches (a comparatively small amount is for space weapons). There is now some debate in Congress over DOD's request to build advanced systems for some of these functions (such as the MILSTAR [Military Strategic and Tactical Relay] communications satellite program), but this paper addresses only existing space assets. DOD's space operations are the responsibility of U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) in Colorado Springs, Colorado; each Service has a component command. […] The Soviet Union launches a wide array of satellites, but since it did not participate in the military effort in the Persian Gulf, the only discussion of Soviet space systems in this report concerns commercially available remote sensing imagery. All the information contained in this report is from open sources."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Smith, Marcia S.
1991-02-27
-
German Unification [November 6, 1990]
"In less than a year, East Germany underwent a remarkable political transformation. A combination of massive emigration to the West and huge street demonstrations in cities throughout East Germany led to the collapse of the hard-line regime of Erich Honecker on October 18, 1989. The opening of the border between the two Germanys on November 9 and continuing deep public mistrust of the government provoked an• accelerated exodus of East Germans to the West. Political debate in the country quickly shifted from how to reform East Germany to how and when East Germany should be reunited with West Germany. […] In February 1990, West Germany agreed to a 'Two-plus-Four' (the two Germanys and the four victorious allies from World War II) formula for discussing the international ramifications of unification. On September 12, 1990, these talks yielded a treaty restoring full sovereignty to a united Germany. Among the principal provisions of the treaty were agreement that a united Germany would remain in NATO, would make no future border claims, and would remain a non-nuclear state. In addition, in the event of a conventional arms agreement for Europe, Germany will radically reduce its armed forces, and Soviet forces will withdraw from eastern Germany by the end of 1994. The President sent the Treaty to the U.S. Senate on September 26, 1990. On October 10, the Senate gave its advice and consent to the Treaty."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gallis, Paul E.; Woehrel, Steven J.
1990-11-06
-
Trends in Conventional Arms Transfers to the Third World by Major Supplier, 1982-1989 [June 19, 1990]
"The general decline in the value of new arms transfer agreements with the Third World seen in recent years continued in 1989. The value of all arms transfer agreements with the Third World in 1989 ($29.3 billion) was the lowest total for any year during the period from 1982-1989 (in constant 1989 dollars). The Soviet Union and the United States have clearly dominated the Third World arms market as the top two suppliers from 1982-1989. Collectively, the two superpowers accounted for 60% of all arms transfer agreements with, and arms deliveries to, the Third World during these years. In real terms, the value of United States arms transfer agreements with the Third World decreased from the 1988 total of $9.3 billion to $7.7 billion in 1989, a 26% share of all such agreements in 1989. The total value of the Soviet Union's agreements fell from $14.7 billion in 1988 to $11.2 billion in 1989, a 38.4% share of all Third World arms transfer agreements in 1989."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Grimmett, Richard F.
1990-06-19
