Fulltext search in archive

This extended essay is based upon various sources, among others on May 2010 President Obama's speech at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where President Obama described his national security objectives. The highest priorities of U.S. national security are the safety of Americans at home and abroad and achieving a peaceful, stable world through global cooperation despite a flawed international system. The Obama's security strategy relies heavily on diplomacy and engagement, economic development and other methods of influence, along with U.S. military capabilities with global reach and unsurpassed resources. As we face multiple threats, from nations, non-state actors and failed states, America will maintain the military superiority that has secured country, and underpinned global security, for decades. The security strategy is global, and identifies an array of real or potential security challenges that include: countering violent extremism and insurgency; stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and securing nuclear materials, resolving and preventing conflict; and reducing destabilizing risks to economic interdependence.

Relations between a military and a civilian society belong to the core issue of civil-military studies. This article reflects main ideas and concepts used in theoretical and analytical literature, including seminar works by Samuel Huntington and Morris Janowitz. A military culture, military ethics and influence of new technologies, full-volunteer army and new missions on military culture are discussed. An abstract term "military" can change very significantly in accordance with actual military culture, perceptible to the fact how civilian society accepts military values. Therefore, not only size and equipment determine how particular armed forces look like. The author introduces the term Constabulary Force reflecting the idea that primary purpose of forces today are low-intensity conflicts and operations other than war.

The PTSD is an emotional, anxiety disorder that might develop after exposure .to a terribly frightening, life-threatening, or otherwise highly unsafe experiences. Recently, we have witnessed quite inappropriate behaviour of the Czech Army soldiers in Kosovo (KFOR) and Afghanistan (ISAF). The Ministry of Defence came to the conclusions the Czech Army soldiers ought to be immune to PTSD, but so far there has been is no serious psychological research, no survey conducted by Czech Army Mental Health Services and no information how many Czech soldiers returning from the duty in Afghanistan or other missions abroad are suffering from PTSD. It is high time to take important initial steps in the care over Czech army veterans, because competent professional soldiers, with years of experience, can also often break down from accumulated stress. This was illustrated by the events in KFOR and ISAF last year.

Prof. Dr. Štefan Volner, CSc., is a very diligent and prolific author. He is the author of many monographs, books, papers and articles in the field of security and defence policy published worldwide. Now we have his latest two books: Security of Mankind (Bezpečnosť ĺudstva) and Security for the 21st Century (Bezpečnosť 21. storočí). In the former one, he comes out of a broad concept of security. Dr. Volner regards the theory of securitization as a lingual and socially determined construct, and so does analyses of security topics. The purpose of his first monograph is to familiarize experts and students with new theoretical concepts, ideas, methodological approaches and paradigms. The latter monograph has a classical structure tied with security studies; it contains theoretical fundaments, dealing with global risks and classifies wars of 21st century. He regards human security as a multifaceted phenomenon, at macro- and micro- levels.

This concept has been preparing since the early 2009. In short, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation must be increasingly prepared to intervene far beyond its borders. In the coming decade, NATO will have four central inter-related military missions. The first requirement is to "deter, prevent and defend" against aggression, so as to ensure the political independence and territorial integrity of NATO member states. The report insists on the need to send out military missions beyond the treaty area "when required to prevent an attack on the treaty area or to protect the legal rights and other vital interests of Alliance members". Any expeditionary mission must be based on the principles of the UN charter. Another key item is to cooperate better with those partners, and others worldwide, in order to tackle the new threats posed by cyber attacks, piracy, arms proliferation and energy supply insecurity and climate change. However, in order to achieve the new goals, NATO "must halt the precipitous decline in national defence spending", and to introduce reforms to make spending more efficient.

The NATO's New Strategic Concept is only starting point to open discussion on a wide range of security problems. At the beginning there is a description of Czech home politics, attitudes of Czech political parties toward NATO alliance. The author explores the history of NATO's identity crisis. In recent years, different security optics of the members splintered NATO. The US wants an expeditionary alliance with a global reach, the Western Europeans hold to a vision of a regional club of liberal democracies, the Central Europeans have a wish so that Washington would stand by them when they will find themselves pressured by Russia. NATO is divided on how to reform its decision-making processes and how to fund and resource its home and away missions. In Afghanistan, the Alliance faces the most difficult operational challenge to date, with a real possibility of strategic failure. The overarching problem is how to define the core business of NATO: cyber defence, energy security, WMD proliferation, stability and reconstruction missions, out-of-area missions, territorial security, enlargement, partnership-building. The discussion over the New Strategic Concept needs to reorder the question how to define NATO's appropriate roles and go from there.

This article illustrates the troubles encountered with development of the NRF. The NATO Response Force is a highly ready and technologically advanced force made up of land, air, sea and special operations forces components that the Alliance can deploy quickly wherever needed. The NRF is intended to be a transformational force that will not only be able to meet the security needs of NATO in 21st century but also serve as an agent of change whereby all the member nations of NATO will be able to bring capabilities, and concepts of operations into their national forces. Undoubtedly, the NRF will not provide a basis for solving all of complex challenges. But it does offer an opportunity for experimentation and testing-the essence of military transformation-and the forging of creative solutions. The views expressed in this assessment are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of NATO or EU.

The article sums up the evolution of the Czech officers' qualification structure since the start of downsizing in 1990 and provides an outlook beyond 2010. At the early 90's graduate education used to be only for officers. A total of 65 % were holding university degrees. Today this number reaches 98 %, with 3 % holding Ph.D. or CSc. degrees. There is also an increase in numbers of WOs with graduate education, it is 4 %, despite the fact that such qualification is not necessary for them. Authors discuss this evolution and compare it with the ageing of the Czech population and overall academic education system. The gradual decrease of people aged 20-24 till 2020 is an important challenge to reforming recruitment and education of junior officers. The reform is needed to avoid deficits in quality junior officers and consequently the lack of personnel selection for military education at the University of Defence.

Official objectives of war on terrorism are as follows: we must face theorist threats, prevent terrorist strikes; suppress the power of terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda. War on terrorism is not a classical or conventional warfare; the term is wide-ranging, covering longterm strategies of national importance. The war on terrorism and employed means are also a source of controversy. It is a question of adequacy of used tools. It is necessary to implement the new strategy of improving conditions in Muslim countries to eliminate their background supporting negative religious and political attitudes towards democracy. Outlined ways of "smoothing edges" in economical, social spheres can noticeably change hateful attitudes of Muslim population towards values of Western democratic society.

Such exercises are regular part of European exercise process that in periodical cycles examines individual capacities of solving crisis situations, conducting crisis operations under methods developed by the EU. European training process does not cover only the preparation of military units, but also those of civil elements (police, rescue teams, diplomats). Since 2007 the exercises have been ran according to a common scenario "ALISIA", with the purpose to practise crisis operations control by commanders and staffs of EU nations, without any means and elements or support by NATO. European exercise process allows to the EUMS to organize and harmonize two exercises of solving crisis situations in a year. Five members of the Czech Army took part in the exercise MILEX 09 last year. They were involved in the operational planning process at the EU OHQ Specialist Staff, CJ2, CJ4, CJ5 and CJ7 departments. The article is mostly based on the experiences of Czech offi cers at the EU OHQ LARISSA.

President Barack Obama came to power at a difficult time in America's history. Home and foreign policies are hard to manage, among others, as we are on the threshold of post-ethnic society, and in the war with terrorisms. Obama does not give up American leadership, but he is seeking to find the balance between security and liberty, between power and freedom in the world, broadly speaking. As the consequence, Mr. Rašek presumes emerging the new global security situation: the rise of multipolar world, divided into several new political spheres. This author's opinion is backed by comments by reputable world's political analysts. As far as Euro-Atlantic relations are concerned, or relations with Russia, there are excellent prospects, namely there is the progress with Russia on arms control-part of Obama's determination to put the world on a path toward nuclear disarmament. The author ascribes the drop in Obama's popularity to failed healthcare reform; outside the US, to the fact that Obama is not able to define clear goals and missions in Afghanistan.

The article deals with the disintegration and erosion of originally cohesive Chechen resistance movement during the First Chechen War and following inter-war period. According to the author, the main reasons of this process are criminality and religious fundamental radicalisation. They together produced inner confl icts between fi eld commanders; some of them attacked Russian security forces in neighbouring regions (Dagestan, Ingushetia), even after war had ended. Disintegration processes were encouraged by social deprivation after the first war, by strategical position of Chechnya in relation to smuggling drugs and weapons, stealing rude oil, and fi nally activities of foreign Islamic solidarity fi ghters. All those factors signifi cantly contributed to the outbreak of the Second Chechnya War.

The key term in this article is "war economy" It is used to describe the contingencies undertaken by the state to mobilise its economy for war production. Often confused term "resource conflicts" needs explaining. First, there are raw materials, mineral resources (diamonds, precious metals). Another group of resources are critical items, water supplies, and fertile lands. This article concentrates on conflicts provoked by the abundance of natural sources, not by their insufficiency. Their driving motive is "greed-based" model (the effort to take over the control over lands, crude oils). Another model is "grievance-based" model, based upon the feeling of hate, having its roots in e.g. underprivileged position of certain part of population) tied with worsening economy). "War economy" got a new meaning. It moved far away from Clauzewitz's paradigm, the sense of such war is in itself, the war is protracted, it is war for war's sake.

The authoress deals with the question of financial resources the AČR will be able to spend on issues tied with state defence, i. e. for the needs and demands of defence department. In fact, its sources represent the main base for the support of the Czech armed forces. To predict the volume of financial means allocated for the forces is problematical, questionable. We must be prepared for further budget cuts, we must prepare B-scenario for the worst situation.

Even though they are not discussed in public, private military and security companies play more and more important role in the world. They have shape and image of modern corporative companies; they are highly structuralized, well supported. They do not resemble the old band of soldiers of fortune. They offer broad spectrum services and utilities, ranging from fight to computer-supported analyses ...167

Military Mobilization is activation of military forces for imminent threats, and redirection of economic and social activities to support a military effort. As the ACR does not use conscription (forced military service-the draft); instead, everyone in the Czech Army enrols voluntarily. The regular service is accompanied by the Reserves (voluntary and regular). Those interested in joining the ACR or Voluntary Reserve Force must complete an application, take an aptitude test, and undergo a physical fitness examination. Recruitment personnel use the results from the application process to determine whether an applicant qualifies to serve. Army reservists are trained to reinforce the regular force and to perform active duty during the state of was and selected peacetime operations, natural disasters, and industrial hazards. By means of several charts the authors explains details on ACR war deployment, recruiting process, scheme of preparation and execution of mobilization. The present system is flexible, it enables to react to security threats and fulfil the objectives resulting from vital interests of the Czech Republic.

The article is based mostly upon an essay Composants et caractéristiques de la stratégie de désinformation by Gula Csurgai. published in Revue Militaire Suisse, March, April, 2007. Disinformation is the deliberate dissemination of false information. It may include the distribution of forged documents, manuscripts, and photographs, or propagation of malicious rumours and fabricated intelligence. In the context of espionage or military intelligence, it is the deliberate spreading of false information to mislead an enemy as to one's position or course of action. It also includes the distortion of true information in such a way as to render it useless. Disinformation is used for preparing public opinion before military operations are opened, the conflict must be "personalized" (the fight of Good against Evil), arousing emotions, sustaining ignorance and confusion, targeting information flows, omitting pieces of information and pushing redundant information. It is necessary to emphasize the role of used language. This phenomenon is described in the famous novel 1984 by George Orwell. The words are capable to arouse concrete images that consequently influence people's behaviour. Disinformation should not be confused with misinformation, which is not deliberate.

The reviewed book analyses the local wars of the last decades and demonstrates that the problem number one is not their military solutions, but consequent peace arrangement. It is not only a case of Iraq, the authors mention the role of France/US in Vietnam, Russian activities in Chechnya and Afghanistan, Israel in Lebanon, Allied forces in Kosovo. For that reason we can welcome this publication, written and published by the team of authors from the Institute for Strategic Studies, University of Defence, Brno. The book summarizes the experiences from conflicts above, namely the lessons from Iraq. The end of armed conflict in 2003 meant simply the transition to another conflict. A very serious and open problem is the question, whether the system of democracy is suitable for Muslim world. The situation in this country could be openly labelled as a civil war. The authors predict even the desintegration of Iraq into three independent countries. Iraqi conflict is an example of asymmetric warfare, in which more soldiers died in time of "peace" (to this date 3,600 soldiers) than during military operations (139 American soldiers).

This article deals with objectives of EU BGs, required abilities and possible employment, namely from the legal point of view. Last but not least, there are mentioned relations between NATO and EU BG. Military capabilities of the EU are closely tied not only with the second pillar of the ?Maastricht Temple? (Common Foreign And Security Policy), but they are united with the activities of the EU as a whole (with all three pillars). The EU should have the potential to carry out independent military actions to solve international crises. The Battle Group is the smallest independent military unit (group) capable of being deployed in the area of operation. It is a combined arms grouping, the exact composition will vary according to the tactical requirement at the time. One of new BG?s tasks will be separation of parties by force. The ACR has earmarked the same units both for NATO and the EU led operations. This future deployment is specified in the current Czech Military Strategy and related documents. Now we are preparing the documents for building up common Czech and Slovak Battle Group (EU CZE/SVK BG).

Some time ago, this review published an article by Mgr. Antonín Konrád in which he asked the readers to discuss the problems tied with military PT. Training is not mere physical exercises, weight training and the like. Physical resistance, endurance is necessary precondition for effective developing physical performance and locomotive powers. Soldier's physical qualification must be taken on the whole, as individually connected dispositions, covering all layers of meaning of soldier's life. The author proposes to strictly differentiate among service obligatory PT, selective PT, and off-service PT. administrative and draft commands came into existence. The core changes took place in 1949 when regional military commands were established, further changes followed: in 1954 regional military commands were remodelled into regional military directorates. Their subordination was also altered. As of January 1, 1992, the regional military directorates were renamed higher administrative commands. Updated Act No. 218/1999 (Military Law) established 35 regional directorates and the Main Draft Centre Tabor (dealing with recruiting, mobilization and manning). Under the Act 585/2004, a total of 14 Regional Military Command were established, with the aim to manage crisis situations, organize mobilization, manning the forces, taking care of military veterans, retired servicemen, including the support of regional military clubs. The latest document defining the scope of authority and organizational structure of regional military commands was published in November 3,2006, taking effect as of January 1, 2007.

EU Battle Group CZE/SVK was formed as the part of a long-term strategy to turn the Czech Army from static defence, garrison force, to mobile, expeditionary formations capable to participate in EU common security and defence policy operations. In June 2003, the first EU autonomous military crisis management operation Artermis was launched. It successfully demonstrated EU ability to operate with quite a small Interim Emergency Multinational Force (IEMF) in a highly hostile environment. The IEMF, dispatched 6,500 km from Brussels, operated under the UNSC mandate, in cooperation with UN forces (MONUC) in the Ituri District, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Operation Artermis demonstrated the need for further development of rapid response capabilities. Subsequently, it has become a reference model for the development of Battle Groups, with rapid response capability. Lessons learned are valuable for Czech army planners being involved in force planning, or building the first EU Battle Group CZE/SVK. All information and sources for this paper were drawn from unclassified sources.

This work consists of analysis of differences in chain of command, tactics, weaponry and equipment used by Russian Army during the first and the second Chechen war. Main theme is searching for the answer to what degree were Russian generals able to learn from their own tragic mistakes, being done in the first war, and what are the main reasons of Russian relative success in the second. In simplification, the key factors are as follows: new joint command, at the beginning delegated to the Ministry of Defence; detailed planning of combat operations; and respect to enemy combat abilities. In addition: increased effectiveness of Russian ground forces, artillery and air force cooperation, massive deployment of new weapon systems such as Precisely Guided Ammunition and ammunition with Thermobaric effect, last but not least rather unusual effort of the Russian Army to minimize human casualties of its own forces. The reasons mentioned above with many others lead us to the conclusion that Russia is bound for a military victory in Chechnya, nevertheless a long journey remains to be covered.

In the last few years, the Czech Republic has been undergoing deep social changes in which the Army of the CR plays an important role. The soldiers risk their health and even lives, therefore they should take advantage of all benefits offered by state social security. Their professional career, promotions and advances must be taken in account when they are leaving the military service. On the other side, we must also reflect economic capacities of the Czech Republic. The authors enumerate all conditions to be fulfilled, so that soldiers were entitled for veteran benefits, together with the history of various benefits, the ways they used to be handled in the past. Legal adaptations are not systematic solutions. As we have no special law on public service, from which veteran benefits ought to be deduced, we have no general base for proper legal amendments, now being discussed.

Language instruction is an integral part of the training of military professionals and various experts of the Czech Ministry of Defence. An important contributor to this is the Defence Language Institute (DLI) in Vyškov. This article describes the principles of work being applied, at the present time, in the activities of the fundamental components of the DLI, the language instruction section and the methodics and testing section and the scope of this activity. It presents the volume and the results of language training in the ACR from 2003 to 2006, as well as new commitments that the DLI in Vyškov has for 2007. It acknowledges the significant growth in the number of the students in the language courses, and the specialization of the various courses according to the needs and tasking of the ACR.

The professionalization of modern forces is an upcoming trend in all advanced democratic countries. It is demanded by complexity of current armed fight, advanced sophisticated weapons systems, antipathy of young people to serve in forces; established selective service was not solution, as it was more or less tied with bribery. In our country, compulsory military service was abolished after 135 years of its existence, in 2005. Mr. Pernica, the author of a book "Professionalization of Armed Forces: Trends, Theory, Experience", published by Czech Military Agency of Information and Services, treats military service as a sort of public enterprise in market of labour force. He introduces two models of armed forces: conscript service and volunteer service. At the end of this review Mr. Rašek points out that under the condition prevailing security risks and wide-spread interventionist policy, there is a possibility that we shall have to return to conscription system.

There is a substantional difference between reformation and transformation. The latter represents a qualitative change or the re-creation; while the former is only a change, redressing, correction of errors or faults. In Czech military press, the basic principles of NATO transformation were described several times. Since 2004, when the document "Strategic Vision: The Military Vision" was published, many other documents have been released: Comprehensive Political Guidance (CPG), Guidance for Military Implementation of CPG, Concept for Alliance Future Joint Operations, NATO Task List. Every operational concept has to evaluate all factors from various fields. The method is expressed by the short DOTMLPF, which stands for Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and education, Personnel and Facilities. The Concept Development and Experimentation is of multinational character and is the most successful transformation tool within NATO countries, namely in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Norway, etc. Lessons Learned system supplies feedback between national forces experiences and concepts, via DOTMLPF. The key role is played by the Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre in Lisbon, Portugal.

Israeli Defence Forces currently evaluates information collected during recent fighting in Lebanon. Although the war was assessed as successful, there are some deficiencies that are to be improved. (a) Aviation and air defence systems. Israel is prepared against ballistic missiles, it was not prepared against short distance ones. Attack helicopters AH-64 were for the first time deployed for tactical (close) combat support of ground forces. One of them crashed down, other two collided in the air; (b) Armour. Also Israel's Merkava Mk4 was used for the first time in combat. More than 50 of the 350 Merkava Mk2, 3 and 4 tanks used in the military operations in Lebanon were damaged by Hezbollah, resulting in the death of 23 crewmen. During the last year the IDF was constantly engaged in high-intensity urban counterterrorist warfare. The regular forces, including tank crews, were retrained for small unit infantry policing activities. As a result, among others, several tanks lost tracks due to driver's inexperience. The article widely drew from several reputable magazines and reviews: Aviation Week, No. 12/2006, Jane's Defence Weekly, No. 41/2006, Defense News, No. 38, 39/2006.

This article contains main ideas from the essay by James J. Wirtz published in anthology Paradoxes of Strategic Intelligence, Frank Cass 2003. This theory is a unifying explanation of why states, for example, attempt to surprise their opponents with diplomatic or military initiatives. Surprise often is described as a force multiplier; something that increases the effectiveness of one's forces in combat. The prospect of surprise can prompt political leaders of the weaker side to believe that they can nullify that disparity and achieve their objectives. In other words, if strong parties began to view conflict from the weaker party's perspective, while weak actors kept war's dialectic in mind, then surprise would become less likely. The theory of surprise can identify when it is likely to occur, who is likely to find the element of surprise attractive as a basis of policy or strategy, and who is likely to be its victim. The trick now lies in making operational use of the theory of surprise.

Event though our forces are all-volunteer forces, in time of danger and war Czech citizens are bound to serve in armed forces, they biased to be drafted. In 1989 the total of 78.2 per cent were able to serve in the forces, in the following years there was a deep decline in numbers; in 2003 only 43.7 per cent of the conscripts (draftees) were able to meet the requirements of medical classification. Proposed numbers were met only by 20 per cent, as large portion of conscripts declared to be conscious objectors (according to the Act adopted after 1989). It is estimated that only 25 per cent of reserve soldiers are able to serve in time of need in the ACR. The only solution, the author proposes, is to amend the Act 585/04 (Defence Act) by several provisions mentioned in this article. At present, the manpower of the Police of the Czech Republic is twofold higher that numbers of Czech military personnel in time of peace. The Police fulfil large proportion of defence and security tasks, so the author proposes to incorporate some paragraphs dealing with the police force into our Defence Act.

The authors depict the development of outsourcing methods in US armed forces, its origins, and sources. Collected data are accompanied by experiences from British and German armies. The American Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued in 1966 Circular No A-76 (lately several times revisited) to define procedures how to set rules which commercial activities are to be done within the frame of armed forces or in private sector. Backed by a number of literatures, magazines and newspapers (Air Force Journal of Logistics, Air Force Magazine, Armed Forces Journal, Defense Nationale, Washington Technology, Wehrtechnik, etc.) authors analyse several outsourcing processes. They present both positive and negative results, including open or hidden problems of A-76 policy (e.g. business process outsourcing). For the Army of the CR they recommend to overcome above mentioned problems by creating the corrective authority, similar to the British PPPU (PublicPrivate Partnership Unit).