ArmsWatch 2005

ArmsWatch, a new annual survey that will be published by IDDS for the first time in 2005, provides a brief overview of the global trends in four areas:
• the military side of national security and foreign policies,
• holdings, production, and trade in major conventional weapon systems as well as weapons of mass destruction,
• arms control and disarmament efforts, and
• the risks and incidence of war.
After reviewing trends, ArmsWatch discusses various proposals and possiblities for gradual but systematic steps leading toward a largely disarmed, stable world peace.

The main text, covering recent trends, likely future developments (given current policies), and policy options, will be about 80 pages. In addition, there will be a supplement of 100-120 pages with brief essays providing more detailed information on the military and security policies of all countries with annual military spending of $1 billion or more (some 50 countries).

Intended for college students and teachers, journalists, political aides, public interest groups, and professional military and arms control analysts, ArmsWatch will provide a thoughtful discussion of current and alternative security policies. The Country Supplement and appendices will offer additional information for those who are particularly interested in a specific country or region.

ArmsWatch will be published on-line in pdf form, available for download free or at a modest cost. It will also be published in a softcover book. The draft outline for the first edition is shown below.

ArmsWatch 2005
Trends, Prospects, and Policy Options in
War and Peace, Arms and Disarmament

Contents (Preliminary)

I. INTRODUCTION
     Chapter 1. Arms and Warfare, Disarmament and Peace
   
II. THE SPREAD OF NUCLEAR AND CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS
     Chapter 2. World Trends in Arms and Warfare
     Chapter 3. Regional Arms Races and Threats of Major War
     Chapter 4. High-Tech Arms Races: Big Arsenals, Missile Defense, Weapons in Space

III. PATHS TO PEACE AND DISARMAMENT
     Chapter 6. Reversing Proliferation
     Chapter 7. Cuts in Spending and Armaments, Abolishing WMD
     Chapter 8. Building a Stable Peace:
     Post-Conflict Demobilization, Reconciliation, Confidence-building, Education
     for Nonviolent Conflict Resolution; Strengthening Democratic Institutions

Region and Country Supplement

The supplement contains brief essays on the military and arms control policies of countries with military spending over $1 billion, along with overviews by region. This provides the detailed foundation for the global overviews in the main text, and gives readers highlights of recent developments in particular countries or regions of interest.