The Nation : Non-Nuclear Weapons Funding Urged

The next President should increase spending for non-nuclear weapons and meet military budgets by canceling new weapons instead of cutting training, a bipartisan group of legislators recommended. Their report was released by the Congressional Military Reform Caucus, a 7-year-old bipartisan group of senators and House members, chaired by Reps. Charles E. Bennett (D-Fla.) and Tom Ridge (R-Pa.), who have pushed for improvements in U.S. defenses. The study called for shifting money from long-range nuclear weapons and “Star Wars” anti-missile research into conventional forces, such as armor and tanks. No figures or force levels were recommended. Although not endorsing either Republican George Bush or Democrat Michael S. Dukakis, the warning to beef up spending on conventional weapons echoes calls by Dukakis.