The Unintended Consequences of Military Aid
Posted January 24, 2020
External Article: The Cipher Brief
Rana Shabb, a PhD candidate in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, wrote "The Unintended Consequences of Military Aid" in The Cipher Brief.
Read an excerpt:
In stark contrast, military expenditure in the developed world is generally associated with good things. In the context of Western society, military spending helps foster technical and economic innovation, which in the long run, helps sustain economic growth and continued prosperity. Outside the security realm, investment in military Research and Development (R&D), defense technology spinoff, and military procurement all have positive effects in the domestic economy – supporting increased productivity and economic innovation. What is understudied is whether military aid to developing countries can emulate the positive effects we see in the West.