ABSTRACT

United States arms sales and military aid to the developing world are divisive, politically charged topics that are notable as much for the emotions that they evoke as the impact that they have on recipients. Yet for policymakers responsible for overseeing the myriad programs through which this aid is funneled, there is little room for black-and-white thinking. The stewards of US security assistance must balance several, often conflicting, foreign policy goals, each of which is vitally important to the United States, the recipient country, and/or a particular constituency.