Arms Control and the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Abstract
The Joint Chiefs of Staff are designated as the principal military advisors to the President and the Secretary of Defense. In this capacity they provide advice concerning not only the development and employment of arms but also proposals to control arms. Yet as Richard Burt noted before joining the State Department, 'Understandably, the military services viewed arms control as part of a larger threat to their traditional prerogatives. By framing military issues as arms control problems, civilian dominated organizations...gained considerable influence at the expense of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Thus...the military services along with the Joint Chiefs were gradually pushed to adopt more extreme views on arms control. As a result, their views gradually lost credibility and they began to be perceived as obstacles to agreement.' How valid is that observation? How much influence have the Joint Chiefs of Staff had on US arms control policy? To answer those questions, this article will identify the roles the JCS can play, examine some of the issues involved in the SALT process, evaluate the various ways in which the JCS has organized for arms control, and recommend ways to improve the ability of the JCS to provide useful advice, on a timely basis, in the arms control policy formulation process.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA518372
Entities
People
- Jeffrey S. Mckitrick
Organizations
- United States Army War College