From: Rob Gross (moderator)
<GR...@BCVMS.BITNET/GR...@BCVMS.BC.EDU>
Saturday, September 18, 1993, 20:50 EDT
Arms Discussion Digest
Volume 11 : Issue 9
All submissions to ARM...@BUACCA.BU.EDU (ARM...@BUACCA.BITNET)
Please do not post articles, as they have a high probability
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Today's topics:
A look (David Altman)
Re: Arms-Discussion Digest V11 #8 (TWMOORE)
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Date: Sat, 28 Aug 93 18:36 PDT
From: David Altman <IZZ...@UCLAMVS.BITNET>
Subject: A look
I find it very hard to believe that Soviet military expansion was
running at only 3% a year. The U.S.S.R. in the last few years
before collapse had not only kept up its regular expansion of
fighting strength but had also commisioned a new main battle
tank: the T-1, two new U.S. style super-Aircraft Carriers, the
Mig-31, and was pouring money into an ABM system. That alone
should be a 10% rise in spending. Moreover, lets us not forget
that military spending as a portion of GDP in the U.S.S.R. was
running at some 20% (in the U.S. it was 6% and is now about
4-4.5%). A 3% of 20% of GDP is quite a formidable increase.
Moreover, to address some points, it has been flatly and bluntly
said by many Soviet Generals and Admirals that they were trying
to keep up in the new '80's arms race, that they just couldn't do
it because it was straining their national economy. This lead to
the Soviets collapse. Moreover, U.S. total national debts, while
in absolute terms is the biggest, in relative terms is smaller
(48% of GDP) than Japan's (52%) or Europe's (Europe's average is
about 60% of GDP although Italy's, England's, and France's is
higher), or annual deficit relative to our competitors is also
smaller. If you want to know why we have social problems look to
gridlock in politics not "sinister military-industrial complex"
conspiracicies. As an economist I can tell you that we have to
redirect spending to education and infrastructure - but lets face
it Welfare programs dwarf military spending. If you want to find
money to patch the fabric of society means-test.
David Altman
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Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1993 22:54:21 -0400 (EDT)
From: TWM...@delphi.com
Subject: Re: Arms-Discussion Digest V11 #8
I think the "lying" that Mr. Harak is refering to is a reference
to the DIA projections of Soviet military power. It is fairly
well known that they differed with the CIA on this subject. The
annual publication did, in my opinion, represent a worst case
scenerio. However, the figures come from a different
interpretation of the data, and I think it is a misunderstanding
if this that would cause such a reference.
As far as the US "defeating" the Soviets in a cold war goes, it
must be remembered that the whole idea behind the cold war, i.e.,
containment, was to prevent direct military conflict.
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End of Arms-Discussion Digest
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