Combining Control and Enhancement

Abstract

It might be useful first to review the West European desiderata for enhancing European security. We have argued that the following are desirable characteristics of a future pan-European security regime:

• 1. The financial cost of any arms enhancement must be minimized because of the increasing defense budgetary problems.

• 2. The manpower drain must be minimized because of the demographic situation.

• 3. American influence over NATO must not be increased by NATO having to adopt US doctrines.

• 4. No loss to indigenous West European arms industries should be incurred.

• 5. Superpower military presence in Europe as a whole ought to be diminished as much as possible.

• 6. NATO’s doctrine and posture should not become more aggressive or threatening.

• 7. The independence of individual West European NATO members and their military capacity to defend what they see as vital interests must be protected.

• 8. The superpowers’ ability to project forces to protect their vital interests elsewhere than Europe must be maintained.

• 9. The possibility of a lengthy, intentional war of attrition should be taken into account in addition to the usual scenarios of short-warning, surprise or accidental wars.