THE USA AND INTERRELATION OF WORLD MILITARY FORCES

Dr. Emzar Djgerenaia

I n analysts’ opinion, President Bush’s address to the Congress, Representative House and American people in the end of January was similar to that of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt. At that time, they managed to unite American people around them.

One of them did so to win the civil war, another one did so to win the world war. Many American families heard live broadcasting of Bush’ speech saturated with Lincoln ideology “Dogma of peaceful past are not useful for the modern exuberant reality. With things changing, we must think in a new way”. Given the fact that economy of America is in the state of stagnation and that the country is in the state of martial law, Bush introduced priorities of his program.
– Global war against terrorism
– suspension of economic recession
With this purpose, the Republican President said that he would not allow terrorists to lay hand on the mass destruction weapon. Extraordinary measures were taken against North Korea, Iran and Iraq aimed at preventing their technologies from leaking out. At the same time, work on the creation of anti-missile defense will be continued; special attention will be attached to such strategic partners as Europe, Russia, China and India. Those who praise the President now will ruin him tomorrow.
Bush’s policy aimed at the increase of military expenses is criticized not only by democrats. In his speech in the economic forum in New York, Lord George Robertson, the general secretary of NATO, said that technical advantage of the USA is so great that it can serve as a handicap for other countries of NATO in their struggle against terrorism. In his opinion, the military park of other countries must reach the level of the USA. According to the general secretary, American administration must show more publicity for the supply of technologies. At the same time, he thinks that increase of expenses on armament will aggravate the state of budget in the country.
Military budget

Bush’s position is obvious enough. Nowadays, it is difficult to prevent economic recession only at the expense of high technology business. Military industry is the only industry to create military inventions and technologies well. Military orders are the source of all valuable technologies. It is nothing else but provocation of business. The President’s economy stimulation plan will give America a chance to maintain the status of superpower for a long time.
In the 90-s American economy reached its climax due to the boom of high technologies. Yet satisfaction of demand leads to market contraction and increase in revenues leads to the growth of inflation. Naturally enough, after 2002 upswing the economy was mired in recession again. The only way out of this stagnation is business of high technologies. Given the fact that market is not yet prepared to satisfy demand for them, the state itself builds up a market at the expense of military orders. Bush imposes this business with comparatively low taxes so that to make investment in it more profitable. In 2002 a process of economic recovery started. It was this very new economic thinking and an example of the significance of state role in the conditions of absolute dominance of market economy and private property. Unfortunately, this new approach was not applied to the budget of Georgia. It still has a consumer nature and contains no program of business development. Yet, business in Georgia is still in its initial stage of development. Of course, budget has significant military expenses. Yet, according to some strange logic that is so unclear to businessmen, if we have army and we must spend 70 millions on it, i.e. 33 million US dollars, how can we assign half of this amount, i.e. 16 million US dollars, for this purpose because we will have to take this amount from the state and it is doubtful that the money will not come in use for the army.
Therefore, we must lay off armed forces and leave as many soldiers as we can maintain.
We, economists, are well aware of the fact that the neigbouring Iran has 513 000 soldiers of which 325 000 are land forces; Armenia has 50 000 soldiers, Azerbaijan has 670 000 soldiers, Turkey has 500 000 soldiers. Yet, our military doctrine must correspond to our economic facilities. We should try to prevent 2002 tax base from decreasing in 2003. If the economy does not come out of recession, the existence of army will be nothing else but formality; we will not be able to regain neither Abkhazia nor Osetya.
Of course, settlement of conflict in Pankis ravine by means of American soldiers’ support would save Georgia. The Bush budget is likely to envisage for assisting Georgia, which ensures our safety. That is why we think that Georgia enters the USA sphere of interest. In 2003, expenses are expected to decrease by minimum 40%. Besides, economy-supporting fund is to be established that will follow the example of Bush administration. At the same time, it is necessary to reduce the number of soldiers to the real (optimal) number. From this point of view, reserves can also be taken into account. We should expect reorganization in the government, reforms in chancellery, which will help to save great funds. It is necessary to decrease state bureaucratic apparatus by 50% and assign the saved amounts to the economy-supporting fund in 2003.
At the same time, revenues from the realization of state property and enterprises (privatization) must also be assigned for the state-supporting fund.
According to much optimistic prognoses, there will be no economic growth in the developing countries as well as in Georgia in 2002-2003. Therefore, we consider it necessary to create a medium-term program that will have an extraordinary nature.