Report on Allied Contributions to the Common Defense 1998: Introduction

Report on Allied Contributions to the Common Defense
A Report to the United States Congress by the Secretary of Defense

U.S. Department of Defense

March 1998

Introduction

Purpose

This Report presents the Department of Defense assessment of the relative contributions toward common defense and mutual security made by our NATO allies, our key partners in the Pacific (Japan and the Republic of Korea), and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Under legislative provisions dating to the Defense Authorization Act of 1981 (P.L. 96–342, Section 1006), the Department of Defense is required to compare the defense burdens borne by our allies, explain disparities, and describe efforts to eliminate such disparities. In each of the last two years, the annual Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 104–201, Section 1084, and P.L. 105–85, Section 1221) has recognized that there are multiple and diverse ways in which allies may share the responsibility for mutual security objectives. This represents a major step toward embracing the Administration’s policy on responsibility sharing, first set forth in the 1994 edition of this Report. We look forward to continuing to work with the Congress in structuring a comprehensive and balanced framework within which to evaluate allied contributions to common defense and mutual security.

Organization of this Report

This Report is organized into three chapters. The first chapter presents an executive summary, describing the goals of U.S. responsibility sharing policy and providing a brief assessment of country contributions for 1996–1997. Chapter II provides a regional perspective of U.S. security interests and highlights the contributions of our key allies. Chapter III follows with detailed assessments of country efforts.

Additional information is provided in the Annex, which contains sources and notes, and summarizes responsibility sharing contributions on a country–by–country basis.

A Statistical Appendix to this Report is being prepared and will be provided under separate cover.