US Arms Exports in the Post-9/11 World

by Jim Kouri, CPP The US government controls arms exports by US companies to ensure that such exports are consistent with national security and foreign policy interests. There have been various efforts to change the arms export control system, which is overseen by the State Department. One effort was the Defense Trade Security Initiative of 2000, which was intended to facilitate defense trade with allies in the post-Cold War environment. Given the September 2001 terror attacks, the US government has had to reevaluate whether existing policies support national security and foreign policy goals. Since the September 2001 terror attacks, the arms export control system has not undergone fundamental changes. While the system essentially remains unchanged, new trends have emerged in the processing of arms export cases. The median processing time for export license applications and related cases began increasing in fiscal year 2003. The US Departments of State and Defense, which reviews export licenses, have continued to implement through regulations and guidance several initiatives primarily designed to streamline the processing of arms export licenses. According to State Department officials, they have not evaluated the effects of these initiatives on the export control system or revised the initiatives. However, applications processed under these initiatives have generally not been processed within the time frames established by State and Defense. For example, applications for Operation Iraqi Freedom are to be processed in 4 days if they require interagency review, but the median processing time for these applications in the first 7 months of fiscal year 2004 was 22 days. Also, exporters have not widely used several of these initiatives. The State Department has sought limited coordination with the agencies responsible for enforcing US arms export laws--the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice--regarding the initiatives designed to streamline arms export licensing. The only exceptions have been regarding proposed export licensing exemptions. Enforcement officials have raised concerns regarding licensing exemptions, including difficulties in enforcing the proper use of exemptions and the increased risk of diversion. According to enforcement officials, they face a number of challenges associated with arms export enforcement efforts, such as limited resources to conduct inspections and investigations and other difficulties in obtaining a criminal conviction for export violations. Sources: US Department of State, US Department of Defense, US Department of Homeland Security National Security Institute, National Association of Chiefs of Police Industrial Security Committee Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. He writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores.