United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2005-04-07 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:GAO-05-468R https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-468R P0b002ee180398173 f:d05468r DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-468R machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-468R GAO-05-468R Counterterrorism Export regulation Exporting Foreign military arms sales International trade regulation Licenses National defense operations National preparedness Performance measures Regulatory agencies Strategic planning Terrorism Arms control Homeland security Correspondence A21038

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks and the subsequent global war on terror, the nature of threats facing this country has changed, and as a result, policies and structures from previous decades need to be rethought. One area for reexamination in this changed security environment is the arms export control system. The State Department oversees this system to ensure that arms exports are consistent with U.S. national security and foreign policy goals. As such, the State Department is responsible for authorizing arms exports, which is generally done through export licensing, and for monitoring exporter compliance with governing laws and regulations. In so doing, the department needs to balance complex and competing interests. Specifically, the State Department must limit the possibility that exports will erode the U.S. military's technological advantage and prevent U.S. arms from falling into the wrong hands. At the same time, the department needs to allow legitimate defense trade with allies to occur. At a Congressional request, we are providing highlights from our most recent report on the arms export control system and observations regarding weaknesses and inefficiencies in the system based on our larger body of export control work. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-468R/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-468R.htm GAO-05-468R https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-05-468R Correspondence GAO-05-468R; Defense Trade: Arms Export Control Vulnerabilities and Inefficiencies in the Post-9/11 Security Environment; Counterterrorism Export regulation Exporting Foreign military arms sales International trade regulation Licenses National defense operations National preparedness Performance measures Regulatory agencies Strategic planning Terrorism Arms control Homeland security Title 22 Section 2751 Title 22 Section 2778 22 U.S.C. 2751 22 U.S.C. 2778 Title 50 Appendix 2401 50 U.S.C. App. 2401