National Security
Consensus on Military Policy and Defense Spending
To: LWV US 1730 M Street NW Washington, DC 20036
From: LWV of ____ State Local League Code #
POSTMARK DEADLINE March 15, 1984
Please return this completed form by March 15, 1984 to the above address. Please mark the envelope "National
Security Consensus." The national board is under no obligation to consider replies postmarked after March 15, 1984.
How did your board determine member thinking on this issue?
Unit meetings
questionnaire or special mailing
General meeting(s).
Telephone poll
Bulletin tear-off
Other (specify on separate sheet)
Size of League (number of members as of Jan. 1984
1-50
51-100
101-149
150-250
250 or more
To facilitate tabulation, please use a [separate] SHEET for a summary of your comments, identifying your LWV.
From: LWV of (Local League (State)
Signed (Portfolio)
I. Listed below are a number of possible military missions that might be fulfilled by nuclear and/or conventional military forces. Which of these do you consider to be appropriate U.S. military missions and which forces would be appropriate to fulfill these missions?
For each mission listed, check "nuclear role" if you believe that nuclear weapons are appropriate in fulfilling that mission and check "conventional role" if you believe that conventional forces are appropriate. You may check both "nuclear role" and "conventional role" if you wish. Check "should not be a mission" if you believe that the United States should not adopt or retain the mission at all.
Nuclear Role - Conventional Role - Should Not Be A Mission
A. Defend homeland
B. Defend allies
(appx 1 paragraph Section Missing)
In order to have a nuclear deterrent, the United States has developed a triad of strategic nuclear weapons composed of intercontinental bombers, land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Each leg has differing capabilities and somewhat overlapping purposes. What the United States (and the USSR) does about such weapons affects its deterrence, first-strike and counter-force capabilities.
What should the United States do regarding each leg of its strategic nuclear triad? (Check one box for each leg of the triad.)
Eliminate - Reduce - Retain As Is - Modernize- No Opinion/ No Agreement
Air leg
Land leg
Sea leg
Comments
III. The current U.S. role in NATO is two-fold: to provide a nuclear "shield" over NATO (with nuclear weapons stationed in Europe and with U.S. strategic nuclear weapons) and to deploy conventional weapons and troops to defend Western Europe.
A. Should the United States have the policy of "first use" of nuclear weapons in Europe? Yes ___ No ____
B. Should the United States maintain as is, increase or decrease its reliance on conventional forces in Europe?
Maintain As Is
Increase
Decrease
Comments
IV. The U.S. defense budget can be divided into two broad categories: investment (procurement of new nuclear and conventional weapons systems, research and development, and military construction) and readiness (operations and maintenance, personnel and retirement pay). In preparing and adopting the defense budget, the President and Congress must make choices between these two categories. (The President's proposed Fiscal Year 1984 defense budget allocates 51 percent-of its funds to investment and 49 percent to readiness.)
Within any given level of defense funding, should the United States place more/less emphasis on investment, which affects long-term defense capabilities, or readiness, which affects near-term combat capabilities?
More Emphasis - Less Emphasis - Equal Emphasis On Both
Investment
Readiness
Comments
V. National security has many dimensions-and cannot be limited to military policy alone. It can be defined as ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense and promoting the general welfare. Key elements include the country's ability to implement social and environmental programs and to maintain cooperative relationships with other nations. Other important components are effective political leadership and a strong economy. There-fore, in decisions about the federal budget, political leaders should assess the impact of U.S. military spending on the nation's economy and on the government's ability to meet social and environmental needs.
Do you agree - disagree
Comments
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November 1983
Janruary 1984
Christmas Luncheon