Maintaining U.S. Security in an Era of Fiscal Pressure

THE ARTICLE ANALYZES SEVERAL OF THE FISCAL, BUDGETARY, AND CONTRAVENING SECURITY AND DEFENSE PRESSURES THAT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS FACING. THESE INCLUDE: LIMITING DEFENSE SPENDING TO HELP BALANCE THE BUDGET DEFICIT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MODERNIZING CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS SYSTEMS; DEPLOYING ADAQUETE FORCES TO PROTECT US INTERESTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WITHOUT SPREADING US RESOURCES TOO THIN: AND FOLLOWING THE SOVIET LEAD IN NUCLEAR ARMS AND CONVENTIONAL ARMS REDUCTION WITHOUT COMPROMISING US SECURITY OR THE SECURITY OF US ALLIES. THERE IS ALSO AN ADDITIONAL, DEEPER DILEMMA OF HOW TO GUARD AGAINST A NEW SOVIET MILITARY THREAT AFTER A FEW YEARS' BREATHING SPELL WHILE TAKING ADVANTAGE IN THE MEANTIME OF THE SOVIET'S ATTEMPTS TO SCALE DOWN WORLD TENSIONS AND HOSTILITIES.