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252. CATO Institute: Health Care Regulation: A $169 Billion Hidden Tax
- Author:
- Christopher J. Conover
- Publication Date:
- 10-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Students of regulation have known for decades that the burden of regulation on the U.S. economy is sizable, with the latest figures suggesting this cost may approach $1 trillion in 2004. Surprisingly, given that the health industry is often viewed as among the most heavily regulated sectors of the U.S. economy, previous estimates generally have ignored the cost of regulating health care services.
- Topic:
- Economics, Government, and Human Welfare
- Political Geography:
- United States
253. CATO Institute: Iraq's Odious Debts
- Author:
- Patricia Adams
- Publication Date:
- 09-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Most debts created by Saddam Hussein in the name of the Iraqi people would qualify as “odious” according to the international Doctrine of Odious Debts. This legal doctrine holds that debts not used in the public interest are not legally enforceable.
- Topic:
- Economics and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, and Middle East
254. CATO Institute: When Ignorance Isn't Bliss: How Political Ignorance Threatens Democracy
- Author:
- Ilya Somin
- Publication Date:
- 09-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Democracy demands an informed electorate. Voters who lack adequate knowledge about politics will find it difficult to control public policy. Inadequate voter knowledge prevents government from reflecting the will of the people in any meaningful way. Such ignorance also raises doubts about democracy as a means of serving the interests of a majority. Voters who lack sufficient knowledge may be manipulated by elites. They may also demand policies that contravene their own interests.
- Topic:
- Government, Human Rights, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- United States
255. Three Myths about Voter Turnout in the United States
- Author:
- John Samples
- Publication Date:
- 09-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Critics of American politics and elections often focus on low voter turnout in the United States. They argue that voter turnout is steadily declining largely because of voter cynicism caused by big money campaigns and negative political advertising. Voter turnout is lower than it was in the 1960s, but almost the entire decline happened between 1968 and 1974. Sophisticated and detailed studies of both public trust in government and the consequences of political advertising show that neither factor has a negative effect on voter turnout.
- Topic:
- Government, Human Rights, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- United States and America
256. Drug Reimportation: The Free Market Solution
- Author:
- Roger Pilon
- Publication Date:
- 08-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- As modern "miracle drugs" play a growing role in medical practice, drug prices in America soar far beyond prices in the rest of the world. Yet our law prohibits Americans from buying American-made drugs abroad at those prices and "reimporting" them to the United States. That has led many Americans, and even some state and local officials, to ignore the law and go to Canada and Mexico for their drugs; to the passage in the House last year of a bill lifting the ban on reimportation; and to similar bills now in the Senate—legislation that Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson recently called "inevitable."
- Topic:
- Human Welfare, International Trade and Finance, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- United States, America, Canada, and Mexico
257. Nuclear Deterrence, Preventive War, and Counterproliferation
- Author:
- Jeffrey Record
- Publication Date:
- 07-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- During the Cold War, the principal function of nuclear weapons was to deter nuclear attack. Nuclear deterrence was not considered a tool of nonproliferation. The primary mechanisms for halting the proliferation of nuclear weapons were the nonproliferation regime established by the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968 and the U.S. extension of nuclear deterrence to states that might otherwise have sought security through the acquisition of nuclear weapons.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Arms Control and Proliferation, Cold War, Nuclear Weapons, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- United States
258. CATO Institute: A Lesson in Waste: Where Does All the Federal Education Money Go?
- Author:
- Neal McCluskey
- Publication Date:
- 07-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Since the 1965 passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which concentrated unprecedented authority over American education in the hands of the federal government, federal lawmakers have passed increasingly restrictive laws and drastically escalated education spending, which ballooned from around $25 billion in 1965 (adjusted for inflation) to more than $108 billion in 2002.
- Topic:
- Economics, Education, and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States and America
259. CATO Institute: Deficits, Interest Rates, and Taxes: Myths and Realities
- Author:
- Alan Reynolds
- Publication Date:
- 06-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The federal government's swing from budget surpluses to budget deficits has raised concerns about possible negative economic effects. Some economists have argued that deficits will raise interest rates, reduce economic growth, increase trade deficits, and possibly create a financial crisis.
- Topic:
- Debt, Economics, and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States
260. CATO Institute: Downsizing the Federal Government
- Author:
- Chris Edwards
- Publication Date:
- 06-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The federal government is headed toward a financial crisis as a result of chronic overspending, large deficits, and huge future cost increases in Social Security and Medicare. Social Security and Medicare would be big fiscal challenges even if the rest of the government were lean and efficient, but the budget is littered with wasteful and unnecessary programs.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Economics, and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States
261. CATO Institute: Can Tort Reform and Federalism Coexist?
- Author:
- Robert A. Levy and Michael I. Krauss
- Publication Date:
- 04-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Critics of federal tort reform have usually come from the political left and its allies among the trial lawyers, who favor a state-based system that can be exploited to redistribute income from deep-pocketed corporations to "deserving" individuals. We offer a totally different criticism—constitutional in origin—that embraces the need for reform but reaffirms this principle: The existence of a problem, however serious, does not justify federal remedies outside the scope of Congress's enumerated powers.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Government, and Nationalism
- Political Geography:
- United States
262. South Africa's War against Malaria: Lessons for the Developing World
- Author:
- Roger Bate and Richard Tren
- Publication Date:
- 03-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Malaria imposes enormous human suffering and economic costs on many poor countries. For South Africa, which has a relatively minor malaria problem for a developing country, from 2000 to 2002 the economic cost ranged between US$15 million and US$41 million, excluding estimates of the human suffering and estimates of lost investment in malarial areas..
- Topic:
- Economics, Environment, and Human Welfare
- Political Geography:
- Africa and United States
263. The Syria Accountability Act Taking the Wrong Road to Damascus
- Author:
- Claude Salhani
- Publication Date:
- 03-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- On December 12, 2003, President Bush signed into law the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003, a law designed to pressure Syrian president Bashar Assad's government to work more aggressively in fighting terrorism at home and abroad. Implementation of the new measures, which combine punitive economic sanctions with diplomatic pressure, threatens to escalate into a new conflict in the Middle East. Some influential people in Washington welcomed such a confrontation, believing that it would lead to regime change in Damascus similar to the one that was effected in neighboring Iraq.
- Topic:
- Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, Washington, Middle East, Arabia, and Syria
264. Education and Indoctrination in the Muslim World Is There a Problem? What Can We Do about It?
- Author:
- Andrew Coulson
- Publication Date:
- 03-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- This paper describes the threat posed to U.S. national security by militant schools in lessdeveloped nations, evaluates current policies for dealing with that threat, and suggests an alternative set of policies that would likely be more effective and also more consistent with the laws and principles of the United States.
- Topic:
- Education, International Trade and Finance, and Religion
- Political Geography:
- United States and Arabia
265. Can Iraq Be Democratic?
- Author:
- Patrick Basham
- Publication Date:
- 01-2004
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Is Iraq capable of moving smoothly from dictatorship to democracy? This paper contends that the White House will be gravely disappointed with the result of its effort to establish a stable liberal democracy in Iraq, or any other nation home to a large population of Muslims or Arabs, at least in the short to medium term.
- Topic:
- Democratization and War
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, and Middle East
266. At a Crossroads in Afghanistan: Should the United States Be Engaged in Nation Building?
- Author:
- Subodh Atal
- Publication Date:
- 09-2003
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Despite progress in the return of refugees and the prevention of humanitarian disasters, stability in Afghanistan is threatened by ethnic tension, feuding warlords, and violence perpetrated by regrouping elements of the Taliban and their allies. The United States is being asked to increase its level of commitment to rebuilding Afghanistan as a means of stabilizing the country, even as American troops battle the resurgent Islamic extremists who operate along the Afghan-Pakistan border.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Development, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, United States, America, Middle East, Taliban, and Arabia
267. Reauthorize or Retire the Overseas Private Investment Corporation?
- Author:
- Ian Vásquez and John Welborn
- Publication Date:
- 09-2003
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The Overseas Private Investment Corporation is a government agency that provides loans and investment insurance to U.S. companies doing business around the world. Its four-year, renewable charter will expire in September 2003. Proponents of OPIC claim that the agency helps the U.S. economy and promotes economic development abroad.
- Topic:
- Economics, International Political Economy, and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- United States
268. Missile Defense: Defending America or Building Empire?
- Author:
- Charles V. Peña
- Publication Date:
- 05-2003
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The rationale for missile defense put forward by its advocates is often a “doom and gloom” picture: America and its citizens are defenseless against the threat of ballistic missiles, and missile defense is supposed to protect the American people. The administration's vision of missile defense is not just a global system that protects the United States against long-range missiles but a global system capable of engaging all classes of ballistic missiles to protect U.S. forces deployed worldwide, U.S. allies, and other friendly countries. Thus, the purpose of missile defense is extended well beyond protecting America and Americans.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Defense Policy, and Nuclear Weapons
- Political Geography:
- United States and America
269. Wrong War, Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Why Military Action Should Not Be Used to Resolve the North Korean Nuclear Crisis
- Author:
- Doug Bandow
- Publication Date:
- 05-2003
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Ever since North Korea's dramatic revelation that it was producing materials that could be used to make nuclear weapons, the Bush administration has considered a range of policy options—including a military strike on North Korean nuclear facilities. Although the administration officially dismisses such talk, President Bush has left the military option on the table, and influential advisers outside of the administration have openly called for military action along the lines of the Israeli attack on Iraqi nuclear facilities at Osirak in 1981.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy and Defense Policy
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, Israel, and North Korea
270. The China-Taiwan Military Balance: Implications for the United States
- Author:
- Ivan Eland
- Publication Date:
- 02-2003
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- China's economy is four times the size of Taiwan's and apparently growing at a faster rate; that economic disparity between China and Taiwan could eventually lead to a military disparity as well. Nonetheless, even an informal U.S. security guarantee for Taiwan against nuclear-armed China is ill-advised. Taiwan is not strategically essential to America's national security. Moreover, China has significant incentives to avoid attacking Taiwan. Perhaps the most crucial is that hostile behavior toward Taiwan would jeopardize China's increasing economic linkage with the United States and other key countries.
- Topic:
- Security and Defense Policy
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, America, Taiwan, and Asia
271. Are Our Troops Ready for Biological and Chemical Attacks?
- Author:
- Eric R. Taylor
- Publication Date:
- 02-2003
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- As war with Iraq becomes imminent, U.S. military readiness takes center stage. Concerns about readiness focus not only on our ability to successfully attack Iraq but on our ability to defend U.S. forces against an enemy regime that, if its existence is threatened, could have every incentive to use weapons of mass destruction. In any war with Iraq, military experts worry most about attacks with chemical and biological weapons. They have reason to worry, given the U.S. military's lack of preparedness for such attacks.
- Topic:
- Security and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, and Middle East
272. Iraq: The Wrong War
- Author:
- Charles V. Peña
- Publication Date:
- 12-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- President Bush asserts that U.S. military action against Iraq was justified because Saddam Hussein was in material breach of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441. But even if Iraq was in violation of a UN resolution, the U.S. military does not exist to enforce UN mandates. It exists to defend the United States: its territorial integrity and national sovereignty, the population, and the liberties that underlie the American way of life. So whether Iraq was in violation of Resolution 1441 is irrelevant. The real question is whether Iraq represented a direct and imminent threat to the United States that could not otherwise be deterred. If that was the case, then preemptive self-defense, like Israel's military action against Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq in the 1967 Six Day War, would have been warranted. And if Iraq was not a threat, especially in terms of aiding and abetting Al Qaeda, then the United States fought a needless war against a phantom menace.
- Topic:
- War
- Political Geography:
- United States, Europe, Middle East, United Nations, Syria, Egypt, and Jordan
273. Mini-Nukes and Preemptive Policy: A Dangerous Combination
- Author:
- Charles V. Peña
- Publication Date:
- 11-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Currently, the United States relies on conventional bunker-busting bombs—such as the GBU-28, which was used in both Afghanistan and Iraq—to destroy hardened, underground targets. Legislation is pending in Congress that would provide funding for research—but not engineering or development—for low-yield, earth-penetrating nuclear weapons for targets that cannot be destroyed by conventional bunker busters.
- Topic:
- Terrorism, War, and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, United States, and Iraq
274. Bush's National Security Strategy Is a Misnomer
- Author:
- Charles V. Peña
- Publication Date:
- 10-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The Constitution of the United States of America makes clear that one of the paramount responsibilities of the federal government is to "provide for the common defense." In the past, the primary threats to the United States and U.S. interests were hostile nation-states. Today, the real threat to America is terrorist groups, specifically the al Qaeda terrorist network. Therefore, al Qaeda, not rogue states, should be the primary focus of U.S. national security strategy.
- Topic:
- Terrorism and War
- Political Geography:
- United States and America
275. Threats to Financial Privacy and Tax Competition
- Author:
- Veronique de Rugy and Richard W. Rahn
- Publication Date:
- 10-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Global economic growth and personal freedom are under attack by governments and international organizations seeking to squelch financial privacy and tax competition. Privacy rights and international tax competition are beneficial constraints on the monopoly power of governments. But high-tax nations and organizations such as the European Union are pressing for international agreements to remove those limits on government power at the expense of prosperity and freedom.
- Topic:
- Economics, Government, and International Organization
- Political Geography:
- United States and Europe
276. Mending the U.S.-European Rift over the Middle East
- Author:
- Leon T. Hadar
- Publication Date:
- 08-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The war in Iraq has created tensions between the United States and some of its leading allies in Europe and exposed a deep diplomatic rift between the traditional transatlantic security partners. The controversy over Iraq has also ignited strong anti-American sentiments and threatened international cooperation in the war against Al Qaeda.
- Topic:
- International Relations
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, Europe, and Middle East
277. Casualties of War: Transatlantic Relations and the Future of NATO in the Wake of the Second Gulf War
- Author:
- Christopher Layne
- Publication Date:
- 08-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The Iraq War represents a turning point in transatlantic relations. Euro-American ties have been ruptured, and never again will be the same. But the growing estrangement between the European powers and the United States is tied primarily to the nature of power in the international system and to America's dominant role in the world today.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, NATO, and War
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, and America
278. All the Players at the Table: A Multilateral Solution to the North Korean Nuclear Crisis
- Author:
- Doug Bandow
- Publication Date:
- 06-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- There is no easy answer to the prospect of a nuclear Democratic People's Republic of Korea. A preemptive war against Pyongyang, even if the strikes were initially directed only at the North's nuclear facilities, would create an unacceptable risk of full-scale war on the peninsula. Sanctions would create their own set of risks. Current punitive economic measures have increased the suffering of millions of North Koreans but have not succeeded in altering President Kim Jong-il's behavior. Further sanctions would certainly not work without the support of the surrounding countries.
- Topic:
- Nuclear Weapons
- Political Geography:
- United States, Korea, and Southeast Asia
279. After Victory Toward a New Military Posture in the Persian Gulf
- Author:
- Christopher Preble
- Publication Date:
- 06-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Donald Rumsfeld's announcement that U.S. troops will be removed from Saudi Arabia represents a significant and welcome change in U.S. policy toward the Persian Gulf. This wise decision to shift U.S. forces out of the kingdom should be only the first of several steps to substantially reduce the American military presence in the region. In addition to the removal of troops from Saudi Arabia, U.S. forces should be withdrawn from other Gulf states, including Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq, and the U.S. Navy should terminate its long-standing policy of deploying a carrier battle group in the Persian Gulf.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, Middle East, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia
280. A Grand Façade: How the Grand Jury Was Captured by Government
- Author:
- W. Thomas Dillard, Stephen R. Johnson, and Timothy Lynch
- Publication Date:
- 06-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The grand jury is perhaps the most mysterious institution in the American criminal justice system. While most people are generally familiar with the function of the police officer, the prosecutor, the defense lawyer, the judge, and the trial jury, few have any idea about what the grand jury is supposed to do and its day-to-day operation. That ignorance largely explains how some over-reaching prosecutors have been able to pervert the grand jury, whose original purpose was to check prosecutorial power, into an inquisitorial bulldozer that enhances the power of government and now runs roughshod over the constitutional rights of citizens.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy
- Political Geography:
- United States, America, and Middle East
281. Demonizing Drugmakers: The Political Assault on the Pharmaceutical Industry
- Author:
- Doug Bandow
- Publication Date:
- 05-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Few sectors of the economy have provided more benefits to consumers than the pharmaceutical industry. Drugmakers have been vilified by patients and politicians alike, however, because of what they see as unreasonably high drug costs.
- Topic:
- Human Welfare, Industrial Policy, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- United States
282. Bring the Troops Home: Ending the Obsolete Korean Commitment
- Author:
- Doug Bandow
- Publication Date:
- 05-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The U.S. alliance with the Republic of Korea has been America's most consistently dangerous commitment since the end of World War II. Yet South Korea is beginning to look away from the United States for its defense. Newly elected President Roh Moo-hyun campaigned on a plat-form of revisiting the security relationship, and he has attempted to adopt the role of mediator between America and North Korea.
- Topic:
- Security and Defense Policy
- Political Geography:
- United States, America, Israel, East Asia, and Korea
283. Is America Exporting Misguided Telecommunications Policy?
- Author:
- Motohiro Tsuchiya and Adam Thierer
- Publication Date:
- 01-2003
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Global telecommunications markets have traditionally been closed to foreign trade and investment. Recent World Trade Organization negotiations resulted in a Basic Telecommunications agreement that sought to construct a multilateral framework to reverse that trend and begin opening telecom markets worldwide. Regrettably, this new WTO framework is quite ambiguous and open to pro-regulatory interpretations by member states.
- Topic:
- International Trade and Finance, Science and Technology, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- United States, America, and South Asia
284. Building Leverage in the Long War: Ensuring Intelligence Community Creativity in the Fight against Terrorism
- Author:
- James W. Harris
- Publication Date:
- 05-2002
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Intelligence is often cited as a critical element in the war against terrorism and, indeed, it is. The U.S. intelligence community has a golden opportunity to develop the capabilities that will make a decisive difference in a war that may last a generation or more. The adversary will not disappear as the campaign to root the al-Qaeda out of Afghanistan winds down. It is essential that intelligence make the transition to the longer-term fight, and the time to begin that transition is at hand.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, National Security, and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan and United States
285. Responding to the Threat of Smallpox Bioterrorism: An Ounce of Prevention Is Best Approach
- Author:
- Veronique de Rugy and Charles V. Peña
- Publication Date:
- 04-2002
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The threat of direct terrorist attack against the United States proved to be real. And the subsequent anthrax cases point to the possibility of a future bioterrorist attack, including use of the deadly smallpox virus. The nature of terrorism is such that it is impossible to accurately predict the probability of such an attack, but the potential consequences are catastrophic. Therefore, it is a serious threat that deserves serious attention.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States and Europe
286. Fighting the War against Terrorism: Elite Forces, Yes; Conscripts, No
- Author:
- Doug Bandow
- Publication Date:
- 04-2002
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The United States possesses the most powerful military on earth, one that has proved its potency in ousting the Taliban from power in Afghanistan. Yet, even as the military was gearing up to perform so well, some people were calling for a return to conscription or, more dramatically, for institution of mandatory national service for all young people.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy and Government
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, United States, Europe, and Taliban
287. Old Folly in a New Disguise
- Author:
- Gary T. Dempsey
- Publication Date:
- 03-2002
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Since September 11, 2001, there have been calls from various quarters to embrace nation building as a tool for combating terrorism. The logic behind the idea is that “good” states do not do “bad” things, so Washington should build more “good” states. That idea, however, relies on several dubious assumptions—for example, that embarking on multiple nation-building missions will reduce the potential for anti-American terrorism. If anything, nation building is likely to create more incentives, targets, and opportunities for terrorism, not fewer. The nation-building idea also draws on false analogies with the past. For example, some people assert that Europe's experience under the Marshall Plan can be readily duplicated in a whole host of countries and that, with enough economic aid, trained bureaucrats, and military force of arms, “bad” states anywhere can be transformed into open, self-sustaining, peaceful states.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Government, and Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- United States, America, Europe, and Washington
288. Befriending Saudi Princes - A High Price for a Dubious Alliance
- Author:
- Doug Bandow
- Publication Date:
- 03-2002
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Although the House of Saud, Saudi Arabia's royal family, has long leaned toward the West, it is a corrupt totalitarian regime at sharp variance with America's most cherished values. Despite the well-publicized ties between the two governments, Saudi Arabia has seldom aided, and often hamstrung, U.S. attempts to combat terrorism.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy
- Political Geography:
- United States, America, Middle East, Arabia, and Saudi Arabia
289. Should the United States "Weaponize" Space?
- Author:
- Edward Hudgins and Charles V. Peña
- Publication Date:
- 03-2002
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Control of space is at the crux of the debate about the future of U.S. military space policy. The question is not about militarizing space. Clearly, we have been using and will continue to use space for military purposes. But, whereas we are currently using space assets to support terrestrial (ground, sea, and air) military operations, what Sen. Robert C. Smith (R-N.H.), the Space Commission (which was chaired by current Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld), and others have proposed is that the United States move toward “weaponizing” space for space control.
- Topic:
- Security, Defense Policy, International Cooperation, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- United States
290. Why the United States Should Not Attack Iraq
- Author:
- Ivan Eland and Bernard Gourley
- Publication Date:
- 12-2002
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- For months the Bush administration has been preparing the country for war with Iraq. The administration has argued that only a forcible regime change can neutralize the threat that Saddam Hussein is said to pose. But the assumptions that underlie the administration's policy range from cautiously pessimistic to outright fallacious. First, there is a prevalent belief that if Iraq is able to obtain nuclear weapons it will inevitably use them. Second, there is a notion that Hussein is totally irrational and cannot be trusted to act in a predictable manner; and, because of that, his leadership creates a substantial risk of instability in the Middle East. Finally, many people in the United States have come to believe that war in Iraq may be the only means of nullifying the threat posed by Iraq's nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons programs.
- Topic:
- Security and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, Middle East, and Arabia
291. The Empire Strikes Out: The "New Imperialism": and Its Fatal Flaws
- Author:
- Ivan Eland
- Publication Date:
- 11-2002
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, several commentators have advanced the idea of security through empire. They claim that the best way to protect the United States in the 21st century is to emulate the British, Roman, and other empires of the past. The logic behind the idea is that if the United States can consolidate the international system under its enlightened hegemony, America will be both safer and more prosperous. Although the word “empire” is not used, the Bush administration's ambitious new National Security Strategy seems to embrace the notion of neoimperialism.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- United States
292. Unsavory Bedfellows: Washington's International Partners in the War on Drugs
- Author:
- Ted Galen Carpenter
- Publication Date:
- 08-2002
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The United States has made common cause with an assortment of dubious regimes around the world to wage the war on drugs. Perhaps the most shocking example was Washington's decision in May 2001 to financially reward Afghanistan's infamous Taliban government for its edict ordering a halt to the cultivation of opium poppies.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- United States, South America, Latin America, Central America, and Caribbean
293. Rethinking the Export-Import Bank
- Author:
- Aaron Lukas and Ian Vásquez
- Publication Date:
- 03-2002
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) was created in 1934 as an independent federal agency operating under a renewable congressional charter. That charter most recently expired on September 30, 2001. Since then, the Ex-Im Bank has been operating under a series of continuing resolutions set to expire on March 31, 2002.
- Topic:
- Economics and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- United States
294. The Anti-Terrorism Coalition: Don't Pay an Excessive Price
- Author:
- Charles V. Peña
- Publication Date:
- 12-2001
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- To prosecute the war on terrorism, President Bush has assembled a diverse coalition of countries for political, diplomatic, and military support. Some of those countries are long-standing friends and allies of the United States. Others have new or changing relationships with the United States. Although there may be a price for their support, America should not pay an excessive price—one that could be detrimental to longer-term U.S. national security interests. And though it may be necessary to provide a certain amount of immediate aid (directly or indirectly) as a quid pro quo for the support of other nations in our war on terrorism, the United States needs to avoid longer-term entanglements, openended commitments, and the potential for an extreme anti-American backlash.
- Topic:
- Security, Religion, and Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- Russia, United States, America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia
295. Going Too Far: Bush's Pledge to Defend Taiwan
- Author:
- Ted Galen Carpenter
- Publication Date:
- 05-2001
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- When he pledged to do whatever was necessary—even use U.S. military forces—to help Taiwan defend itself, President George W. Bush seemingly replaced Washington's long-standing policy of “strategic ambiguity” with a policy of strategic clarity. Although the president and his advisers subsequently retreated from his initial rhetorical stance, both China and Taiwan are likely to believe that Bush's original statement accurately reflects U.S. policy. That creates an extremely dangerous situation for the United States.
- Topic:
- Security, Defense Policy, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, Washington, Taiwan, and Asia
296. The Rogue State Doctrine and National Missile Defense
- Author:
- Ivan Eland and Daniel Lee
- Publication Date:
- 03-2001
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- The Clinton administration underestimated the technological ability of several of the “rogue” states to develop long-range missiles and politicized its intelligence estimate. However, missile threats to the United States from any one of those states also depend on the intentions of that state and political developments that might affect those intentions.
- Topic:
- Security, Defense Policy, Politics, and Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- United States
297. Instability in the Philippines: A Case Study for U.S. Disengagement
- Author:
- Doug Bandow
- Publication Date:
- 03-2001
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- As the world becomes a less dangerous place for America, U.S. officials work more desperately to preserve America's pervasive international military presence. This policy is evident in the Philippines, with which Washington recently concluded a Visiting Forces Agreement.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy and Politics
- Political Geography:
- United States, America, Washington, Asia, Philippines, and Southeast Asia
298. Making the World Safer for Incumbents: The Consequences of McCain-Feingold-Cochran
- Author:
- John Samples
- Publication Date:
- 03-2001
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Russell Feingold (D-Wis.), joined by Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), have introduced legislation adding new regulations on campaign finance. Their proposed law bans “soft money” going to political parties, restricts advertising by for-profit corporations and labor unions, and greatly increases the ambit of federal election law.
- Topic:
- Government and Politics
- Political Geography:
- United States
299. Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors: 2000
- Author:
- Stephen Moore and Stephen Slivinski
- Publication Date:
- 02-2001
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- This report presents the findings of the Cato Institute's fifth biennial fiscal policy report card on the nation's governors. The grading mechanism is based on purely objective measures of each governor's fiscal performance. Those governors with the most fiscally conservative records— the tax and budget cutters—receive the highest grades. Those who have increased spending and taxes the most receive the lowest grades.
- Topic:
- Government
- Political Geography:
- United States and America
300. "Big Oil" at the Public Trough? An Examination of Petroleum Subsidies
- Author:
- Ronald J. Sutherland
- Publication Date:
- 02-2001
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Cato Institute
- Abstract:
- Critics of the oil industry allege that the industry receives large and unwarranted government subsidies and that rival technologies, such as those for ethanol, renewable energy, and energy efficiency, deserve compensating government preferences. The evidence indicates that, on balance, the oil industry is not a net beneficiary of government subsidies. The facts point in the opposite direction. The oil industry is more harmed than helped by government intervention in energy markets.
- Topic:
- Environment, Government, and Industrial Policy
- Political Geography:
- United States