Research for Political Policy

This paper provides an assessment of the factors affecting the navy's utility in a political role, particularly as compared to the other instruments available. Primary emphasis is on the Afro-Asian Third World.

This paper summarizes the world economic situation and its impact on world political stability, examines political trends on a region by region basis, and identifies potential areas of US-USSR competition that seem possible over the next two years as a result of continuing superpower tensions in Southwest Asia.

This book presents a comprehensive discussion of Soviet naval diplomacy. It addresses the Soviet Union's use of its navy in a political role and attempts to clear up some of the misconceptions that have emerged in public discussions of the subject. The book is designed for students of Soviet foreign and defense policy, for students of international politics interested in the impact of the superpowers on Third World conflicts, and for other interested groups in the United States and abroad. Edited by Bradford Dismukes and James McConnell, CNA, and published by Pergamon Press. Copies available in CNA Library on Call Number DK 66 .S63 1979.

What should the United States do if some oil imports are cheaper but less secure than domestic energy production? In answer to this recurring question, the Oil Security System provides for more oil security and more imports too. It permits imports from insecure sources, either upon payment of a fee or if backed by commitments of emergency oil supplies issued by suppliers of secure oil. Such commitments, called guarantees, are obligations to sell on the market oil in an emergency from such sources as inventories, existing wells operated below capacity, capped wells, new wells drilled during the emergency, and diversions of U.S. exports of crude oil and refined products. In turn, possession of a guarantee is the qualification for receiving a fee-exempt import allowance. Both guarantees and fee-exempt import allowances would be bought and sold. Importers of oil would choose the cheaper way of importing between paying the fee and acquiring a fee-exempt import allowance. Under the Oil Security System the information on guarantees would at all times permit the government to maintain a detailed plan specifying where oil would come from and when it would be supplied in an emergency. In most situations, substituting an Oil Security System for an alternative import policy would both reduce the cost of importing oil and increase oil security in the form of emergency oil supplies.