Vojenské Rozhledy

Czech Military Review

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Results 451 to 480 of 1945:

Rationales behind the Development of Anti-Ballistic Defence

Opinions, controversy

Bc. Tomáš Kučera

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2008, Vol. XVII. (XLIX.): 76-85

Anti-ballistic missiles are missiles designed to counter enemy's ballistic missiles. First, the author compares strategic patterns reflecting various eras of the former bipolar world. Their mutual balance of that time could be described as Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). As long as MAD was a fact of life, the ABM Treaty fulfilled its important function as a cornerstone of strategic stability. Keeping nuclear arsenals at a level which is not even justifiable is selfcontradictory, as the military strategy and targeting policy is based on the capability of the other side, not on its intentions. Today's Russian policy is shaped by the status-driven desire to deal with the United States from a position of power-related symmetry and strategic parity, by negating the unique position of the United States. The American ballistic missile defence policy used to be also a central element of their containment strategy towards China. However, at present, Ballistic Missile Defence (BDM) sets as a top-priory the defence against the so-called rough states, rather than against Moscow or Beijing.

Transparency, Simplicity, Reduction Administration, Effectiveness: Proclamation and Reality in MoD Department

Opinions, controversy

Ing. Jiří Dušek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2008, Vol. XVII. (XLIX.): 60-69

Department by Ing. Jiří Dušek. The purpose of this article is to provoke discussion among military public dealing with economy in order to improve economy management in the forces. The author would like to point out the gap between officially proclaimed principles and true economy development in MoD department. Why proclaimed principles remain only on a sheet of paper and are not introduced in practice? In three theses are summarized the main problems to be resolved. The article is not conceived as a mere critique, it also features several proposals how to improve, optimalize, economy behaviour of the ACR. Among others he proposes to make us of 3E indicator (Economy, Effectiveness and Expediency), SWOT analysis, etc. Last but not least, he underlines the importance of economy education for army officers and leading civilian officials.

Do We Really Understand the Current Epidemic of Suicide Terrorist Attacks? (An attempt at systemization of terrorism concept)

Nonreviewed - Other

Doc. Ing. Štefan Danics, Ph.D., PaedMgr. et ThMgr. Leoš Tuček

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2008, Vol. XVII. (XLIX.): 18-30

Terrorism threatens to attack and destroy the open democracy, but what is terrorism? The main aim of this essay is to formulate some proposals of a minimal operational definition tied with terrorism, as well as a definition of terrorist attack with the ambition to surpass a possibility of an ambiguous construction in the field of semantical research. Terrorism is usually described as unlawful violent activism targeted against civilians or against civilian targets with the aim of achieving political, religious, ideological and other goals. It presents wellconsidered ways of production and fructification of fear that are applied on civilian targets. A terrorist attack communicates devastatingly as a pure act of violence inside the psychosomatic structure of its recipients (victims). The new terrorism after 9/11 attacks could be characterized by fanaticism and the impending danger of arms of mass destruction. It is a culture of death.

The Place and Role of Private Companies in Securing Defence Means in Germany

Informational pages

Prof. PhDr. Miroslav Krč, CSc., por. Ing. Martin Klusáček

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2008, Vol. XVII. (XLIX.): 85-106

The very modern trends in the forces of advanced countries are hiring private civilian companies, private enterprises, in everyday performance of armed forces. As this phenomenon is very frequent, the authors decided to go into its roots, to find a common cause of this fact. In the past, armies were closed societies, self-sufficient, independent from states. Today, gradually, soldiers became more concentrated on key military tasks and supporting functions are transferred to private companies. The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) takes over mechanics used in private sector: it integrates economy dimension. Above all, it is transparency of bookkeeping, which ought to give evidence on savings in everyday life of forces. The Bundeswehr uses the so-called Market Testing, as a means of practical cooperation for engaging private capital. All those fact are cited as thoughprovoking.

Alternative Service: Not quite the Past

Book review

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 1/2008, Vol. XVII. (XLIX.): 138-140

In his review of the "Phenomenon of Alternative Service: Do not Kill for a State, Nevertheless Serve the Nation" by Bohuslav Pernica, dr. Antonín Rašek evaluates positively the choice of discussed theme, which is not only historical, but it has an importance for the future, as performing social and other activities with the use of a citizen compulsory service is still necessary. Some people consider introducing this sort of general service, together with the so-called volunteerism, as it is in our neighbour-Austria. The book is concentrated on the theme of alternative service mostly from economic point of view, social problems are only hinting and the influence of alternative service on the performance of compulsory military service in the former Czechoslovakia and in the Czech Republic is overlooked. It was in the early 90's when conscripted soldiers were thinking up various reasons why to evade military service, which seriously violated the performance of military service.

Cataclysm Scenario 2050-Imagining the Unthinkable

Nonreviewed - Other

Prof. Ing. Josef Říha, DrSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2008, Vol. XVII. (XLIX.): 3-10

The purpose of this report is to imagine the unthinkable of the worst case scenario for the global future post-modern society. The analysis addresses the main features of global risk society, human suffering, and loss of life from natural catastrophes, man-made catastrophes, economic losses, peak-oilcrises impacts, threat of terrorism, radical Islam, fragile states, etc. Important are the consequences of the end of the Vestfal system and global climate change. There is substantial evidence to indicate that significant global warming will occur during the 21st century. The research suggests that once temperature rises above some threshold, adverse weather conditions could develop relatively abruptly. Drought persists for most of the decade in critical agricultural regions and in the water resource regions for major population centres in Europe. As fertility shrivels, societies get older-and much of Europe are set to get older than any functioning societies have ever been. To avoid collapse, European nations will need to take immigrants at a rate no stable society ever attempted. Europe will be significantly more Islamic.

Foreign and Security Policy of the Russian Federation at the End of the First Decade of the XXIst Century and its Anticipated Development

Informational pages

PhDr. Miloš Balabán, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2008, Vol. XVII. (XLIX.): 79-93

The study analyzes the key features of Russian policies in the late 2000s and their prospective developments. It is above all the rise of Russia's economic power, boosted by the favourable rising trend of energy prices (oil and gas) that has helped to resume again the position of one of the key world powers, obsessively pursuing its geopolitical interests in a new emerging multipolar world. This also determines its relations with other major global actors, e.g. the U.S., the EU, and China (outlined in this article). As far as military budget is concerned, it is increasing. Russia has overcome a long period of stagnancy. After 2007, they re-established strategical patrol flights off Russian territory; great effort is aimed at power projection, as a means to secure natural resources beyond Russian boarders. The study is closed by Russia's geopolitical prospects till the year 2020. and its Anticipated Development

Reflective Principles and Teaching Foreign Languages

Language preparation

Kpt. Ing. Petra Vráblíková, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2008, Vol. XVII. (XLIX.): 121-130

This article deals with the problem of theoretical base of reflective teaching methods and illustrates practical examples and recommendations of experienced language teachers. In detail it explains the structure and principles of this educational concept, and defines differences from regular teaching methods. The authoress explains both teaching and learning through critical reflection practice, how to develop critically engaged learners. She explains how to gather information on students in class in charge, and enumerates questions to be answered. Reflective thinking by means of feedback enriches both students and teachers. "Reflective" teachers are able to monitor, criticize and defend their own activities, planning, implementation and assessment language programmes and instructions. fl

VOJENSKA STRATEGIE CESKE REPUBLIKY

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2002, Vol. XI. (XLIII.): 3-13

The Vision of State Security

Nonreviewed - Other

Ing. Antonín Krásný, CSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 3-14

What is Necessary to Consider in the Process of Organization Structures Construction, Military Forces Equipment and Training in ACR, after the Ending of "Conception" by Ing. Antonín Krásný, CSc. The very welcomed "Concept of Development of the Professional Army of the Czech Republic and the Mobilization of Armed Forces of the Czech Republic" had to be revised because of the lack financial means. This fact influenced a lot of live of our army. Additional career officers were to leave his services; military material, vehicles were further reduced. At present, we have to balance our military strength with security demands reflecting running changes in world's security surrounding. The main aim of the article is to describe development of security environment in the Central Europe. It considers decision mechanisms reform in NATO and transformations of its military forces structures. It highlights an impact of demographic, technological, institutional changes and changes in value system of defence assurance of the CR. We must still bear in mind that for us, NATO alliance, supplemented by the EU structures, is the main tool of our security.

Ethic Argumentation Structures Used in Discussion over the War in Iraq

Opinions, controversy

Pplk. Mgr. Tomáš Holub

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 1/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 79-103

The main theme of this extensive paper is ethical evaluation of the state of affairs in Iraq that would play greater role - directly or indirectly - in the decision-making of foremost politicians, more role then we might think. Although the author quotes various positive or negative attitudes towards the war, he does not intend to prove or refute presented theses. He broadly treats e.g. the so-called just-war, events when imminent threat might be a case for war, moral clarity in a time of war, situations when we consider that our aims might be achieved by peaceful means. Last but not least, he writes about attitudes of church leaders, the Holy See, lines of their reasoning. The armed forces are called upon to do their duty. The greater the threat, the grater is the risk of inaction, the more compelling the case for taking anticipatory actions. In such case, the governments make their final decisions. It is not the responsibility of church-leaders or military commanders. To obey it, it would not be in conflict with the churches teaching. In these circumstances, the troops could regard an order to go to battle as morally decent, in pursuit of a moral good purpose.

Controlling in Economic System of Source Management in the Bundeswehr

Nonreviewed - Research

Por. Ing. Blanka Jiráňová

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 116-133

The specificity of defence as a public estate rather complicates necessary changes in public expense management, namely those chapters designated for the armed forces. One of prospective tools for defence economic management is controlling, which is more than mere control. It coordinates planning, information flows, it concentrates on final effects. The authoress explains and depicts how this method is working in the German Federal Forces (Bundeswehr).

Security in the Year 2020 with the Prospects to 2050 (Summary of Security Community Views) - Part One

Military sociology

PhDr. Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 1/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 121-138

Summary of Security Com174 munity Views - Part One. Despite the fact that most of the predictions made in the early 20th century did not realized, there are still plenty of arguments for drawing security prognoses as the only method assessing synthetic alternatives of future progress. The future is not unequivocally determined, as the all comprising development is strongly influenced by subjective motives. We must have scenarios upon which we can act, operate, namely in the field of security. The government ought to set clearly our security agenda, where and why we are going to make possible military engagement. All further actions are developing from those prognoses, i.e. buying tanks, helicopters, parachutes, armoured vehicles, etc. The first part of this security study covers several predictions containing even some controversial visions. They are based upon the opinion survey done among members of Czech military community. The field of investigation comprises EU, US, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Africa, Asia, even hypothetic Russia-China conflict, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and the like.

Jaka je nejvyhodnejsi strategie rizeni sektoru
obrany?

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 1/2002, Vol. XI. (XLIII.): 138-149

Bezpecnostni strategie Ceske republiky - 2001

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2001, Vol. X. (XLII.): 3-14

Management in Defence Sphere Using Principles of BSC (Balanced Scorecard) and System Dynamics

Nonreviewed - Research

Pplk. Ing. Miroslav Švejda, MA

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 167-178

Mentioned Balanced Scoredcard-BSC is an ef f icient tool that helps to the of f icial management to transform vision and strategy into reality, by means of monitoring key efficiency indicators and their transformation into action plans: BSC covers the package of strategy maps enabling to consider mutual connections. Owning to the transparency cause-consequence relation, we can implement cohesive strategy into all level of the organization.

Shared Values of Organization and their Influence on Efficiency and Effectiveness

Nonreviewed - Research

Ing. Eva Vincencová, prap. Kateřina Strnadová

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 208-221

Thispaperdealswiththeareaof organization values or to say it better, by organisation culture, including its importance for overall efficiency and effectivity. It is a set of values, norms, beliefs, attitudes, assumptions. The authoresses explain those terms, cite their definitions. They underline the fact that highly motivated servicemen are the real assets for our forces. We have to do our best to recruit them, to set up such quality of military life, so that they would like to serve for longer periods.

Will the Economy, Effectiveness and Efficiency Get Ahead in Defence Sector?

Nonreviewed - Research

Ing. Jiří Dušek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 87-103

Those three E are much in use both in official documents and mass media. Dozens of defence officials use them every day, but actual outputs present that they do not know the key essence of 3E, or they are not aware of how to put them into practice. This article would like to help them to make understand the practical application of basic principles of 3E in practise. The reason of this gap, according to the author, lies in insufficient ties between theoretical and executive spheres of defence sector.

Umime si vladnout? Cast prvni: Verejna politika

Prof. dr. Martin Potůček, CSc., MSc., PhDr. Miroslav Purkrábek, CSc., PhDr. Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2005, Vol. XIV. (XLVI.): 134-147

Small Wars Revisited (Fourth Generation Warfare)

Military art

Ing. Josef Nastoupil

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 34-40

This new generation war could be characterized by an emphasis on nonstate actors, by political and psychological forms of attacks that directly influence opponents. Other characteristics are as follows: extensive refugee flows, violence, transnational criminal aspects. Several factors will impact the nature, frequency and character of "small wars" in the 21st century. Failed/failing states, urbanization, diffusion of actors, communications technology, technological diffusion, religion, and ultra-terrorism. Clausewitz's fundamental appreciation for the primacy of political objectives as the guiding object in war remains relevant to "small wars" as does to interstate conflicts. The problem for today's strategist or policy maker is determining exactly what has changed, how the various means of stratecraft need to be adapted to the specific contingency at hand (according to The Journal of Strategic Studies, 6/2005).

Jak je to s vojenskou vedou ...

Prof. Ing. Karel Novotný, CSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 1/2005, Vol. XIV. (XLVI.): 5-32

Security in the year 2020 with the Prospects to 2050 (Summary of Security Community Views) - Part Two-the End

Military sociology

PhDr. Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 120-138

This second and closing part of this security study covers decades before the half of this century. The leading role in prevention and fight against armed conflicts will rest namely upon intelligence services. It is also expected the mass use of nonlethal weapons. The US will stay as the only leading superpower, minority expects a plurality model, i.e. the US will be only first among the equals. Some predicts the collapse of the EU. The Army of the Czech Republic ought to achieve full operational potential around the year 2012. It will take part in multinational missions. The Alliance armies should have 8 per cent of their capacities fully operable abroad. Under the preventive strategy, the regions of their prospective deployment will be in bordering countries around Europe, areas around the Eastern Mediterranean, or in the Far East. More or less, one problem remains still open: whether foreign deployments of the ACR really correspond to the interests and needs of the Czech Republic.

Padesatileti ctvrte svetove valky

PhDr. Miloš Balabán, Ph.D., PhDr. Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2005, Vol. XIV. (XLVI.): 127-138

Vojenska strategie v Ceske republice

Plukovník gšt. Ing. Richard Janderka, CSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. ZC/2001, Vol. X. (XLII.): 18-27

Developing Adaptative Leaders

Informational pages

Ing. Josef Nastoupil

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 102-105

The forward-thinking and respond to the challenges of today's dynamic operational environment demands as necessary: first, to attract and develop young people to become adaptative leaders possessing enhanced skills, i.e. we must align leader-development programmes for the new operating environment; second, to respond to the forces' needs in meeting the challenges of the operational environment-the forces have to undergo a transformation. Adaptability is critical to urban stability and support operations, as these operations present complex challenges to commanders for which no prescribed solutions exist. Warfare and technology are rapidly evolving; doctrine lags behind the need for ready solutions. Officers are confronted by many situations outside the doctrinal framework. No amount of technology can offset the effects of chaos theory ...169 Clearly, there is a need to quickly learn knowledge/skill sets, coupled with a new operating frame that might be radically different from the skills and knowledge developed through classical training (Military Review, January/February 2006, Tomáš Weiser, What is the Chaos? Dějiny a současnost, 5/2002).

Financial Management of DoD (Reality without False Statements)

Opinions, controversy

Ing. Jiří Dušek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 67-73

This piece of writing is a polemic with the article by Maj. Pernica "System of Planning, Programming, Budgeting (and Flogging a Dead Horse)? in Vojenské rozhledy 4/2005. Allegedly, the criticized article quoted some misleading statements, based on financial records, inappropriate for this purpose. Ing. Dušek does not agree with its general idea, introduced out of contexts. The Planning, Programming and Budgeting System was introduced by leading economy experts (e.g. university professor Mr. Ochrana, School of Economy, Prague). Some deficiencies and shortages are inevitable, but as a whole, the PPB system works. Statistics is a dynamic science and statistical data are to be judged only in connection with statistical methods used in years in concern. For example, in answering the Defence Planning Questionnaire, we were asked by NATO authorities to transfer entries for leasing Grippen aircrafts from modernization and development items to the operational item. Consequently, the percentage of investment purchases decreased. The same goes for the percentages of National Gross Domestic Product spent for military budget, and so on. Moreover, MoD financial department put several useful proposals how to make financial flows more clear, but the were refused by the government.

Planning, Programming and Budgeting System: from Talking to the Facts!

Opinions, controversy

Mjr. Ing. Bohuslav Pernica, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 41-47

This article is a sequel to the previous disputes over financial management within the Czech Armed Forces. The origins of the first polemic article lay in gaining facts for research work, arranged by the Faculty of Economics and Management, Defence University, "Allocation and Management of Defence Sources of the CR and the Formation of Economic Thinking in the ACR". The system of planning, programming and budgeting (PPBS) was introduced into Czech forces several years ago, but the it did not worked in a way it was supposed. There were many deficiencies the PPB system suffered from. Unfortunately, the author lacks sufficient data to evaluate properly the performance of this system. He has to combine diverse data sources, booklets, statistics, data releases, to make accurate picture of a day-to-day financial military administration. In his opinion, the system is not transparent enough. He appeals for clear figures, released e.g. on army interned pages, to avert accusation of wasting public sources ...168

Security Activities in Today's Word (Geopolitical Starting Points)

Reviewed - Research

Doc. dr. Štefan Volner, CSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 15-21

The world is full of unsolvable problems. Every key problem has turned now into multinational one; in fact, this can be handled only if it becomes a transnational problem. Security development is multifaceted process tied with the whole globe. The author recapitulates several models or paradigms that influenced a lot our global strategical thinking. The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives by Zbigniew Brzezinski; The Choice: The Global Domination or Global Leadership of by the same author; The Clash of Civilizations by Samuel P. Huntington; Avin Toffler's The Third Wave; Kauffman's Fourth Law: Prolegomenon to General Biology (Investigations); Order Out of Chaos by I. Prigogine and I. Stengers. Dr. Volner says that the contemporary humankind has its last chance to push such a solution that might lead us out the world of dangers and threats to start building up a balanced and lasting security, but he warns against waging "small preventive wars", as the only way to safeguard the peace.

Zpravodajske sluzby pri tvorbe a realizaci bezpecnostni politiky

PhDr. Jan Duchek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 1/2005, Vol. XIV. (XLVI.): 41-58

Extended Security Concept and Czech Security Practice

Research

PhDr. Miloš Balabán, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2006, Vol. XV. (XLVII.): 3-11

Since the 90's of the last century we have witnessed the discussions over extended concept of security, under which no national state is the only privileged security subject. The classical military concept is extended both "above", towards international, global and regional problems covering economy, social, environmental or humane issues and "down", in the direction of local communities, NGOs, private subjects and even individual citizens. Even though several important constitutional laws reflecting EU criteria were adopted, we still miss constituting and complete overall concept Czech security system. Of course, we have a document "Optimalization of Security System of the Czech Republic", but it is not the genuine concept, but a mere summary of practical measures dealing with temporary problems, namely after the Floods 2002. The author dares the public to open debate about priorities and goals of security politics of our country, in order to lay down, under general consensus, realistic security system, able to face the whole range of security threats and risks, explicitly in the broad international frame of NATO and EU.

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