Military Balance.
Military Balance.
Stable or Unstable?
INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL STRATEGIC STUDIES 5 5
W
hat is the global military situation
today, and where is it headed to-
morrow? Although todays situa-
tion is more stable than a decade
ago, flashpoints remain in such unsettled regions
as the Persian Gulf and the Korean peninsula.
Moreover, the future warrants concern. Prolifera-
tion of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and
conventional force improvements could exacer-
bate tensions and conflict in several areas, in ad-
dition to todays hotspots.
Although military power is less central
today than during the Cold War, it remains im-
portant to many countries national security
agendas. Their forces are shaping the new inter-
national security system. In appraising global
military affairs and their strategic implications,
national defense postures should be considered.
What matters is how they compare with each
other, and how they interact as they acquire
more modern weapons.
Four factors are key to shaping the future
military situation in each region and underscore
the importance of following the evolution of
global military affairs: