International Military Education and Training: A Force Multiplier with Relevancefor the 21st Century

摘要

U.S. Security Assistance has been, and continues to be an important policyinstrument in the pursuit of U.S. National Security Strategy. In particular, the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, the smallest component of U.S. Security Assistance, plays a vitally important role in the U.S. Government's ability to engage with, and enlarge a growing community of newly emerging democracies. The return on investment of the IMET program has been documented and recognized as significant. This low cost program has trained and educated many foreign military and civilian students. Their exposure to American culture and values has been viewed as an investment, not only in friendship, but in the student's ability to influence their country's policies and promote U.S. ideals and interests. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is imperative that the IMET program be expanded. For the U.S. to succeed in promoting long term stability, encouraging military cooperation in coalition operations, and fostering the growth of democracy and human rights worldwide, we must immediately improve on this already excellent program.