Defense Priorities

Nearly a decade after the Soviet Union's demise, questions persist about the adequacy of U.S. defense capabilities. Without the Soviet threat, the rationale for a large, standing army and a vast, nuclear arsenal seemed to evaporate. Instead, the perceived threat to American security fragmented into a number of hostile regional powers. NATO's bombing campaign in Yugoslavia was the latest overseas operation involving American military forces since the end of the Cold War. Like the gulf war and the interventions in Somalia and Haiti, the operation was far more limited in scope than wars fought by American soldiers earlier this century. Meanwhile, military experts continue to question the defense strategy, weapons-procurement practices and readiness of U.S. forces in this new global environment.