Budgetary and Military Effects of a Treaty Limiting Conventional Forces in Europe
Abstract
The treaty that has been the subject of intense negotiations between members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and those of the Warsaw Pact would limit conventional military forces in Europe (CFE). NATO's proposed CFE treaty would establish parity between NATO and the Warsaw Pact in the number of major weapons held by each alliance, a step that would require disproportionately large reductions in Pact weapons. For example, the Pact would have to destroy about 40,000 tanks compared with about 3,000 for NATO. The Soviet Union would have to withdraw from Europe 405,000 troops compared with 80,000 for the United States. These large reductions in Warsaw Pact military forces should significantly lessen the threat posed to NATO by the Pact. This prospect, in turn, has raised the possibility of substantial reductions in U.S. military forces and in the military budget. The likelihood of such a "peace dividend" has been further enhanced by recent events in Eastern Europe-notably, the opening of the Berlin Wall, less cohesion within the Warsaw Pact, and the move toward democratic governments in several Eastern European countries. An examination of the military consequences of a CFE treaty can lead to a better understanding of the potential budgetary savings that could also result.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA464681
Entities
Organizations
- Congressional Budget Office