June-July 1996

The Defense Budget

Impacts of A Pivotal Russian Election on
U.S. Foreign Policy

Russia held its presidential election on June 16, 1996, amid speculation that the Communist Party might return to power. About the same time, Congress was approving increases to the U.S. military budget of more than $11 billion and renewing the Reagan-era strategic missile defense initiative.

The implications for U.S.-Russian relations appeared ominous. We asked our guests to comment on how U.S. policy could be steered toward reinforcing arms agreements and assisting Russia in its difficult transitions instead of reviving Cold War tensions.

Guest Speakers

Naila Bolus, Co-Director, 20/20 Vision

Danielle Brian, Executive Director, Project on Government Oversight

Robin Caiola, 20/20 Vision

Adm. Eugene Carroll (Ret.), Deputy Director, Center for Defense Information

Ben Cohen, Co-Founder, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

Stephen F. Cohen, Professor, Princeton University

Marcus Corbin, Defense Specialist, Project on Government Oversight

Jonathan Dean, Senior Advisor, Union of Concerned Scientists

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Congressman

Ralph DeGennaro, Executive Director, Taxpayers for Common Sense

David Evans, Communications Director, Business Executives for National Security (BENS)

Natalie Goldring, Deputy Director, British American Security Information Council (BASIC)

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), Senator

William Hartung, Director, Arms Trade Research Center, World Policy Institute

Katrina Vanden Heuvel, Editor, The Nation magazine

David Holloway, Professor, Stanford University

John Isaacs, President and Executive Director, Council for a Livable World

Lawrence Korb, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense; Chairman, Campaign for National Security, Brookings Institution

Michael McFaul, Stanford University

Andrew Pasztor, Pentagon Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

John Pike, Director, Space Policy Federation of American Scientists

Dan Plesch, Founding Director, British American Security Information Council (BASIC)

Rep. Bernie Sanders (Independent-VT), Congressman

Charles Sennott, Staff Reporter, The Boston Globe

Susan Shaer, Executive Director, Women's Action for New Directions (WAND)

Adm. Jack Shanahan, Director, Center for Defense Information

Marshall Shulman, Former Director, Harriman Institute, Columbia University

Joe Trento, National Security News Service

Deborah Walden, Director of Policy and Programs, Women's Action for New Directions (WAND)

Paul Walker, Former Lead Staffer, House Armed Services Committee

Ted Williams, Member, Business Executives for New Priorities

Jennifer Weeks, Representative for Arms Control and International Security, Union of Concerned Scientists