660 



— The wide deployment of U.S. troops and the Fleet means^ 

 that U.S. service people are frequently in a position to aid local 

 populations in time of emergency or natural disaster, or even as 

 a routine activity, with the effect of demonstrating the operational 

 utility of U.S. technology in the process. 

 There is one body of opinion that holds that the role of subnuclear 

 conflict is tending to diminish. The rationale behind this view is that 

 as the spheres of influence of the Great Powers become more sharply 

 defined, both functionally and territorially, there wnll be less and less 

 occasion for initiatives and ventures involving the productive use of 

 force. It Avill be in the interest of these Powers, also, to try to damp out 

 any violent quarrels among lesser States, in order to avoid the possi- 

 bility of nuclear confrontation. 



The implication of this trend — to the extent that the hypothesis is 

 valid— would seem to be that a principal remaining avenue for the ex- 

 ercise of national influence is in competitive technology. This view is 

 expressed in the following passage by Victor Basiuk of the Institute 

 of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University : 



Over the centuries, nonmilitary technology has been one of the major causes 

 of change in the distribution of worid power. In recent times, nations have grown 

 powerful thanks in large part to the peace-time technologies which made it pos- 

 sible for them to become great industrial centers. Military power usually fol- 

 lowed in the wake of industrial capability. . . . There is no sign of the emergence 

 of a stalemate to prevent nonmilitary technology from effecting changes in the 

 distribution of power of nations and regions. 



The evolution of nonmilitary technology suggests at least one important con- 

 clusion. Because nonmilitary technology now occupies a larger part of the spec- 

 trum of technologies capable of changing the distribution of world power and 

 because its share of the non-stalemated spectrum is growing, its importance prom- 

 ises to be greater than it was heretofore.^™ 



However, even under this hypothesis, tliere are many points of inter- 

 national contact involving technology in Avhich U.S. military and 

 paramilitary agencies can participate. For example, a report by the 

 U.S. Coast Guard of its "involvement in international affairs'' list« 20 

 international agencies and 15 international activities in which it is a. 

 participant. Among the international programs are Loran stations, the 

 ocean station program, the automated merchant vessel report 

 (AMVER) system, training of foreign nationals, and sea-air rescue 

 technology and studies. Of the AMVER program, the Coast Guard 

 reports : 



» Close liaison with foreign embassies, foreign governments, foreign shipping in- 

 terests, foreign communications representatives and foreign airlines is required 

 to encourage participation in the AMVER program and to arrange for the neces- 

 sary communications for exchanging the ship reports and passing surface pic- 

 tures. General instructions for participation in AMVER have been reproduced 

 in twelve foreign languages. The International Radio-Medical Center, Rome- 

 (CIRM ROMA) is an active interested correspondent. . . ."" 



By various agreements or treaties, the Coast Guard has established 

 its Loran stations on the territories of 14 countries, and provides tech- 

 nical assistance and replacement parts to 43 Loran stations manned by 

 host nations. 



What has been said about the far-flung international contacts of 

 the Coast Guard on technological matters applies with greater force 



109 Victor Basiuk. "Technology and World Power." Foreign Policy Association, Headline 

 Series. (April, 1970), page 53. 



"" U.S. Department of Transportation. Coast Guard. "Participation in International 

 Aflfairs." [1968.] (Mimeo, May 22, 1968), pages A-2, B-2, B-5, and B-7. (CG-389.), 



