The Missile Technology Control Regime, American Theater Ballistic Missile Defense Efforts And CINC Planning In The Middle East and South Asia
Abstract
The United States is expending billions of dollars to obtain reliable antiballistic missile defenses (ASM) at the theater and national levels. The new defenses are designed to meet the expanding threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) delivery by missile on the American homeland, American forces overseas, and American allies. The U.S. argues that the development and deployment of ABM defenses is aimed at rogue states, e.g., North Korea, Iran, Iraq, or Libya. The new defenses are designed to be limited and not designed to counter a strike by owners of large missile forces, i.e., Russia or China. At the same time, the U.S. is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), an international agreement designed to reduce the existing proliferation of ballistic missile (BM) capabilities and to contain existing capabilities at present levels. Unfortunately, many allies do not share U.S. concerns for BM proliferation, Russia and China doubt America's professed reasons for ABM defenses, and the MTCR has been unable to prevent the spread of more effective BM technology in the Third World. This all plays a large role in American defense planning, including at the level of the regional commanders in chief of U.S. forces (the CINC's) This paper reviews the BM growing threat, the limits of the MTCR, and the impact of both on the regional CINC's.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 15, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA381851
Entities
People
- Joseph F. Cuadroado
Organizations
- Naval War College