The decision to commission such a study was a classic bureaucratic stalling tactic in the face of a full-court press by the West Germans and other European allies at the Houston Economic Summit.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | ��Don��t Bother Us With The Facts��: Allies Preempt IMF-Led Study On Soviet Economy

But, alongside existing plans to make more use of vaccination against foot-and-mouth (a tactic unpopular with farmers since it hinders their ability to export meat), the study offers vets another, less grisly option for dealing with any future outbreaks of the disease.

ECONOMIST: Foot-and-mouth disease