The US decision to pursue a “limited” national missile defense in the post-Cold War period continues to be one of our most controversial foreign policy issues, made no less controversial by the Clinton Administration's deferral of a decision to the next Administration. John Reppert will discuss the nature of the threat against which NMD would defend, the status of technology required to provide the desired capabilities, the financial implications of procurement and deployment, and the effects on US relations with possible opponents and key allies.

Dr. Reppert is Executive Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, which he joined in 1998 after retiring from the US Army as a Brigadier General. He concluded his Army service as the Director of the US On-Site Inspection Agency, which is responsible for implementing national inspection activities for arms control treaties which the US has signed. A specialist in military affairs of the former Soviet Union, General Reppert served three tours of duty in the US Embassy, Moscow, as well as command and staff tours in Germany, Korea, and Vietnam. Fluent in Russian, his degrees in journalism and international affairs include a PhD from George Washington University.