Air/Missile Defense, Counterproliferation and Security Policy Planning

This volume offers papers based on presentations originally delivered at a March 1998 workshop entitled Air/Missile Defense, Counterproliferation and Security Policy Planning: The United Arab Emirates, The United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The meeting was organized by the Institute and the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) and held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Each paper was updated and substantailly revised in fall 1998 to reflect the most current developments.

The volume as a whole provides a realistic and comprehensive assessment of current and evolving air and missile threats confronting the GCC countries, highlighting the effect of missile and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferation trends on the balance of power in the Persian Gulf region. It also reviews current U.S. concepts of operation for air/missile defense coordination and proposes policies for future UAE and GCC security planning. The authors give compelling reasons for shared early warning and integrated air defense systems; the need for political commitment from both the United States and all the GCC governments to set in place improved defenses; the need as well for improved understanding and communication as essential conditions for increased cooperation in the air/missile defense realm; and the long-term advantages of pursuing such cooperation both on a U.S.-GCC basis and among the GCC member states themselves. The range of benefits associated with a regional approach to air and missile defense are explored, together with the question of how expanded air/missile defense cooperation in the region fits into a broader geopolitical framework.