Vojenské Rozhledy

Czech Military Review

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Results 181 to 210 of 2437:

The Fragmentarization of Europe as a Security Threat Europe 2010: Predictions and Reality

Military sociology

PhDr. Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 148-164

Unlike the real state of affairs, the scenarios for Europe 2010 did not presuppose the rise of financial and economy crises. Political scientists did not perceive the series of terrorist attacks, namely in Great Britain, Spain and Russia. Security questions, home security and defence, came to the foreground more then was originally expected. There are hubs of future power blocks of divided Europe. It is impossible to incorporate all the results and consequences of our presuppositions. Since we want to look into individual, particularly interesting developments, the author recommends to create several teams for individual scenarios, instead of drawing several scenarios by one scholarly team.

The Americans Withdrew from Iraq and Changed Military Strategy

Informational pages

PhDr. Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 86-90 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.02.086-090

American military strategy was preparing long before the US troops left Iraq. The published document reacted to circumstances after the end of Iraq conflict and planning withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014. Pentagton's analysis underlined the fact that in the following years, US forces would not conduct wars similar to Afghanistan and Iraq. Defence secretary Leon Panetta told reporters that American forces were going to be smaller but more effective, innovative and technologically advanced. In spite of budget cuts, military expenditures were planned larger in volume then in the last year of G. W. Bush's presidential term.

Security and Strategic Culture of USA, EU and CR

Book review

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 168-174

It is the title of homonymous publication by Jan Eichler from the Institute of Foreign Relations. The author depicts basic characteristics of main features of security and strategic culture of present world. He tries to answer the following three questions: What are historical and political factors of security /strategical culture of respective actors, what are main features of their doctrinal documents, and their impacts on the development of global international relations in the early 21st century? He deduces that the participation of the CR in military interventions in third world countries could generate a risk of terrorist's attacks against not only members of armed forces abroad, but also installations in our state territory.

Prospective Attitudes to the Reform of Security System

Military art

Ing. Vladimír Krulík

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011, Vol. XX. (LII.): 48-64

Potential improvements of our security system depend above all on the governmental concern to really implement the reform, as a complicated, laborious and sensitive process. The preparing work being done in 2001-2002 proved deficiency in Czech security system. The author says that it is practicable to set rules by issuing clear directives, further it is necessary to prevent unreasoned manoeuvring within boundaries of implementation programmes, whatever manoeuvring could be motivated, by political, local, regional or subjective interests. This essay places emphasis on the presentation of various methods by which the security system could be changed for the better, explaining them in rather non-traditional ways, from more broad angle, embedded into a wide frame of knowledge, experiences and recommendations.

Defence strategy: Vision of Responsibility

Nonreviewed - Research

Ing. Josef Opluštil

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 3-5

The new ten-year defence strategy of the Czech Republic has been approved. The document stresses that despite the continuing recession, our state should not allow the military being weakened by further reduction of resources. This could worsen the quality of the military and weaken the Czech Republic's credibility in the international community. There is also the risk of the financial, organisational and personnel destabilisation of the Czech defence system that would bring about a loss of the quality of military personnel, a decayed prestige of the military service, an erosion of the state military capabilities. The new defence strategy is not a cure-all medicine. By its adoption the real

NATO Common Funding as a Tool for Cohesion Enhancement and Ability to Act

Military art

Ing. Josef Procházka, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 25-34 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.04.025-034

In the past, the Common Funding played only marginal role in the NATO strategic decision-making. However, this situation changed significantly when the global economic crisis challenged the national public expenditures and NATO defence policy became a matter of serious reflections. NATO should balance its requirements with limited resources and adjust its future activities within shrinking budgets. NATO must make hard decisions and implement reforms in order to ensure its ability to fulfil its mission and priority tasks in the long run. The reconfiguration of Common Funding is an inherent part of this process. The aim of this article is to introduce Common Funding as a management-supporting tool of the international organisation under currently mounting resource constrains.

Nuclear Deterrence and Cooperation? (Russian Security and Foreign Policy 2008-2012)

Informational pages

Mgr. et Mgr. Lukáš Tichý

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 61-72 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.04.061-072

The objective of this article is to analyse the security and foreign policy of the Russian Federation in 2008-2012, in terms of security culture. The article is based on the assumption that the Russian security and foreign policy during Medvedev's presidency was characterized by four features: promoting multilateralism, exaggeration Russian national security threats, emphasizing the possibility of the use of nuclear deterrence, and using energy as a political tool. The article is based on three Russian strategic documents, i.e. Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation, National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation to 2020 and the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation. It also examines some events of Russian internal and external policy, especially Russian-Georgian conflict, Medvedev's proposal to create new security architecture in Europe, or the security relations between Russia and the EU, NATO and the U.S.

Czech Professional Army: Initial Five Years

Book review

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 129-135

This year, the Hlávka Economy Institute published a book "Professional Army in the Czech Republic: First Five Years", by Bohuslav Pernica. It is a study dealing with first five years in which the Czech Republic transformed its forces from a conscription army to all-volunteer one. The author sees the necessity to go professional in context of changed global surrounding after the end of Cold War. The subject is treated mainly from economy point of view. He pays attention to three important issues related to this transformation: recruitment /retention, training /education, and substandard soldier's pay, which is one of roots of low service competitiveness on civil labour market.

Intelligence Services (A Multidisciplinary Approach to Problem)

Book review

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 136-138

In our country we can meet various publications on intelligence activities, nevertheless we feel the lack of expert books with wider overreach. Among those publications that fulfil such demands belongs the work by Ladislav Pokorný "Secret Agencies", Prague: Auditorium, 2012. The book covers intelligence organizations of all kinds, including military ones. In military section the reviewer cites the famous ironic sentence "Under the Czech Law, we have three intelligence services, in fact there are four of them, with five directors". The publication is of high information value and could also serve as a university textbook.

Václav Prchlík: The General that Couldn't be Ashamed of his Rank

Personal data

PhDr. Antonín Rašek.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 139-145

Mr. Prchlík would have been ninety years this year. He started his career as a professional soldier. Among others he was Deputy Defence Minister, then he assumed the position of the director of the Main Political Directorate, and finally he was elected Member of Parliament. In 1967-68 he opposed to military coup d'etat in favour of the former Czechoslovak president Novotný. In 1968 he became a head of Administrative Section, Central Committee, Communist Party. He had under his control all military and police activities in the country. The Soviets asked to be disposed from this position and finally he was even arrested. When released from prison, till his death, he was employed as a manual worker. He took part in military section of political dissent.

Legal and Illegal Wars in Present-day World

Reviewed - Research

Doc. PhDr. Jan Eichler, CSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 17-29 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.03.017-029

After the year 1990 a total of 120 wars have taken place. The most appealing were those initiated by the USA, in which other friendly states´ve participated as well. No country has the right to invade its neighbour or over-run and annex another. There were many discussions in the world over the legacy of imposed interventions, under which conditions they are true and just. The study covers two dissimilar attitudes: the first one against Hussein's expansionist policy in 1991 and warfare after 9/11 2001. The legitimacy rests upon Resolutions of the United Nations Security Council that allow any nation to remove the aggressor by force. The author also mentions a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995, and then again from 1998 until 1999/2001.

A Brief Insight into the History of Operational Art and its Contemporary Aspects (Part II)

Military art

Ing. Ján Spišák

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 48-54 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.03.048-054

Operational art is the use of creative thinking by commanders and staffs to design strategies, campaigns, and major operations and organize and employ military forces. This article is a sequel to the study published in a previous issue of this Military Revue. The author discusses the fundamental pillars of operational art, upon which Alliance countries build their doctrinal and defence documents concerning operational art. A separate section deals with conditions and status of operational art in the Army of the Czech Republic in the last 20 years. The author calls for the need to introduce operational art in several key areas of Czech doctrines. He recalls the necessity to implement those issues in the prepared Doctrine of the ACR.

Military Bias Crimes

Military law

Doc. PhDr. JUDr. Miroslav Mareš, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 140-147 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.03.140-147

This article analyses a new element in the Czech criminal law-Military Bias Crimes. They are included in the new Criminal Code 40/2009 Coll., Sect. XII. The bias motive is characterized by a prejudice against race, ethnicity, nationality, political belief, religious belief or atheism, but not against the so-called sexual orientation, in contrast to the situation in the US. Perpetrators of some military bias crimes, § 378, § 379, § 380, can be not only soldiers, prisoners of war, but also members of security corps (Police, Security Intelligence Service etc.). Up to now, the use of these new norms of the Czech penal law has been limited.

Neglecting Security is Dangerous: Ways Out of Crisis

Book review

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 165-167

The global crisis has gravely affected and continues to affect the lives of people around the planet. It is high time to change the paradigm for interpreting the problems of contemporary societies as well as the ensuing governance. In his reviewed book the author Martin Potůček attempts to answer the question what divides and unites our society. He helped us to understand the nature of this crisis and finds our ways out of it. In closing chapter, Key Challenges, he concludes by proposing some desirable directions for further development: to strengthen people's trust in institutions, to oppose to weakening the role of state. He argues against the concept of higher competitiveness of products in market.

The Organizational Set up of MoD Sector and the Implementation of White Paper Intentions

Reviewed - Review

Ing. Vladimír Krulík

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 3-16 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.02.003-016

The purpose of this comprehensive study is to describe organizational scheme inside defence sector and recollect some more or less neglected rules of its organizational structure. This paper ought to confute some of the myths that are repeatedly used for advancing somebody's particular interests, frequently opposing to smooth running defence sector and its subordinate elements, their performances and duties. The author's prime motive is to explain this problem to a wide public and thus contribute to opening the discussion on this theme, well in advance, before the measurements originated in the White Paper on Defence would be put forward and implemented by some proposers, backed by subjective misconceptions and interpretations of actual state of affairs.

Up-to-date Trends and Shifts in Global Security Environment

Reviewed - Review

PhDr. Miloš Balabán, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 17-25 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.02.017-025

The beginning of the second decade of 21st century is tied with distinctive dynamics and changes in global security environment. Among those changes belong security re-orientations of the United States from Transatlantic area to that of Pacific, East and Southeast Asia resulting from a new American military strategy proclaimed in January 2012. The US drew down from Iraq and Afghanistan, political and security movement in Arab world, after decades of "status quo" were awaking. The author concludes that the EU should be prepared for negative scenarios in the development of security situation, or to have at its disposal effective police and military forces with proper humanitarian background to counter possible instability, e.g. massive migration influxes, economy disorders.

Strategic Culture: Concept Presentation

Reviewed - Review

Ing. Tomáš Pospíšil

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 26-33

Studies of the importance of culture have gained greater attention in the post-Cold War era. In present world, there are many fenomena that can't be explained in terms of neorealism. There is the consensus in national security policy studies that culture may significantly affect grand strategy and state behaviour. It limits behavioural choices, from which we could derive predictions about our strategic choice. This study is based among others upon Johnston's strategic culture concept related to three generations. The study is divided into five parts: at first the author introduces general concept of strategic culture, the second, third and fourth parts correspond to individual generations. In closing part the author explains his own understanding to this concept.

Seeking Foundations of Economy Methods and Savings in MoD Sector

Informational pages

Prof. PhDr. František Ochrana, DrSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 91-101 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.02.091-101

This paper deals with theoretical and practical correlations of "additional" savings in defence sector. Referring to conclusions of White Paper of Defence, the author differencites between rational savings and irrational ones, i.e. the false savings. Rational savings lead us to higher economy, effecitivy and usefulness. Irrational savings present non-system measures when respective "cuts" are only for for appearance's sake, the savings are only for show. In reality, in terms of long-term prospects they will bring even higher social expenditures before those "cuts" were introduced. The author proposes several recommendations concerning effective saving to eliminate wasting defence sources.

The Prevention of Criminality in the Ministry of Defence Sector

Informational pages

Ing. Michal Hrbata

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 102-110

Crime prevention belongs among main and long-term tasks in work with personnel in the MoD Sector. It is organized at three levels: interagency, departmental and local. It is concentrated at decreasing risk factors that usually contribute to criminal behaviour. In the near future, when organizational structure of MoD will be optimalized, current valid documents dealing with crime prevention are going to be reassessed, so they could meet new requirements of command and control system. They will be more directed to problems of extremism, property-related crimes, alcohol addiction, drug and non-drug abuse.

Multinational Operations and NAMSA Agency: Visions till the Year 2020

Military professional

Ing. Vladislav Vincenec, Ph.D., doc. Ing. Miroslav Cempírek, CSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 111-119 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.02.111-119

The invariable and constant task of logistics planners is the most effective utilization of sources. One of the methods incorporates NAMSA agency into operational and logistics planning. The NAMSA is regarded as a very effective provider of services covering the whole area of logistics. It is estimated that in the near future the agency will conduct logistics support to Alliance member nations. In 2020 the NAMSA will make use of energy and fuel mainly from sources friendly to our environment, therefore employing NAMSA agency for our army will be both economical and environmental.

Sustenance Traditions and Nutritional Level of Undergraduates at the Defence University

Military professional

Prof. Ing. Aleš Komár, CSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 120-136 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.02.120-136

Dietary habits and nutritional conditions are closely tied. They were measured and tested during academic semester, namely in time of examination. Results reached were analyzed. Statistics proved our assumption that during the exam period this study burden deeply influenced overall nutritional state by anthropometrical indicators in male clusters; with 95% rate probability it influenced body mass, body fat and the percentage of water in a body. Zero hypothesis was confirmed as far as muscle material was evaluated.

Accoutrements Support of Selected Uniformed Units of the CR

Military professional

Kpt. Ing. Michal Zelenák, doc. Ing. Miroslav Pecina, CSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 137-142 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.21.2012.02.137-142

The article focuses on comparing the current legal requirements of the provision of authorized accoutrements uniformed forces and identifies their differences. The article proposes the change in payment of compensation for unused authorized accoutrements. It is not only a matter of Army of the Czech Republic and other uniformed forces of the Czech Republic, e.g. Police of the Czech Republic or Prison Service of the Czech Republic. Uniformed forces ought to receive adequate material support, as they have to distinguish themselves from civilians with the regard to the nature and specifics of their duties.

Jaroslav Janda: The 80th Anniversary of His Birth

Personal data

Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2012, Vol. XXI. (LIII.): 180-186

After several years of service with armour corps he devoted himself to social organizations in the forces, among others he was a head of department for military youth. In 1968 he became a deputy Czech minister for youth, PT and sports. During period of normalization he was released from the army. He made his living as a free lance translator and author. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989 he became advisor to deputy defence minister for humanitarian affairs, later he became assistant to deputy defence minister for strategical control, deputy director of Institute for Strategic Studies, deputy director of Institute of International Relations. After his untimely death, the prize named after him for works in the field of defence was established.

The Security System of the CR and the Necessity of its Adaptation to Cumulative Effects of Threats

Reviewed - Review

PhDr. Libor Stejskal

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011, Vol. XX. (LII.): 37-47

The term of "growing complex of threats" covers higher and higher probability of concatenation of various intercommoned, mutually tied factors reflecting structured technological and informational reality of global society, making their solving by traditional means of security system extremely difficult. "Crisis situation" represents more general problem of natural disasters or technology breakdowns that are influencing one another, that cause great distress or destruction, in an unexpected manner, activating subsequent threats of so far unforeseen threats. For that reason we must adapt Czech security system to new liquid, instant and indivisible complex threats.

The Strategic Control of Czech Republic Defence: a Part of National Security

Reviewed

Ing. Vladimír Krulík

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2011, Vol. XX. (LII.): 3-22

One of most discussed themes in this field is also a critique of unfinished, non-stable structure of master documents, e.g. Security Strategy of the Czech Republic. They are often told to be obsolete. The latest document, the White Paper on Defence, Critical responses are not quite justified. There are a lot of good ideas, innovations. Many things have been done, many set tasks have been met at the level of Defence Ministry. Positive effects of results reached are obvious. They are summarized in the White Paper mentioned above. The only danger lies in arbitrary decisions by political management, including employing variable means of their implementation, wanton interpretation of leading defence principles, low respect to approved strategical decisions. We must name mentioned handicaps as a first step towards the real and true remedy.

Does China Conquer Also Europe? (Reflections over Security Analyses and Prognoses)

Informational pages

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

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 3/2011, Vol. XX. (LII.): 94-102

The gravity of this article is laid down on the present-day state of affairs. China bought Spanish, Portuguese, and Greek obligations, i.e. China lent a hand to those countries (so did the European Union). In this way, China increased its influence in Europe. Stabilized Europe is necessary for Chinese export, it was not mere charity. Defence expenditures of People's China has reached 100 billions USED a year. Supposing the Chinese are intended to reach world's domination, they should stick to this kind of policy and they should not try to acquire the dominance by armed force. China behaves like an asymmetric power, knowing well that it can't surpass the U.S. by arms. China does not want to repent Russian mistake to be "over-armed" by America in futile arms race. Still, there is plenty of free space to compete with the U.S., e.g. cosmic or space competition, computer and Internet technologies.

Starting Points for the Preparation of Updated Security Strategy of the Czech Republic 2011

Reviewed

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

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2011, Vol. XX. (LII.): 3-19

In our country, existing strategical documents related to security used to be compiled very carefully, but proved to be not very effective, as they did not fit to practical everyday security policy, they did not comply with day-to-day requirements. The only exception was the 1991 doctrine dealing with the creation of Integrated Rescue System and the implementation of professional armed forces. At present, there is a tendency to rewrite those strategy documents again, namely in the field of security. The preparation of a new version of Czech security strategy is taking place in time marked with new trends in world politics and economy. The main attention is attracted by crisis management, arms control, disarmament, WMD non-proliferation, cooperation with non-NATO nations, and international organizations, last but not least counterterrorism and cyberspace security strategy. In short the study mentions Czech political-military ambitions, defence strategy, defence capacity and resources, it appreciates in value knowledge gained by the Centre of Security Policy, Faculty of Social Science, Charles University Prague, and it contains conclusions and recommendations for the preparation the 2011 Czech National Security Strategy.

The Future Objectives of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic

Nonreviewed - Other

Ing.Josef Procházka, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 2/2008, Vol. XVII. (XLIX.): 31-38

The author of this article considers the prospective changes in the development, character, missions and tasks of the Army of the Czech Republic, Those changes are deduced from the changing security environment and long-term development trends. To meet new demands, we must continue in building interoperability and compatibility. The battlefield operations will be planned and controlled by the systems of "Network Centric Warfare" and "Reach Back Operations". It will not be necessary for a commander to be in physical contact with operational theatre. Electronical high speed intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance will enable the high pace of military operations (together with common analyses, integration of collected data, evaluation of enemy's intents and activities). This will enable to build a credible defence, in the frame of collective security system, hand in hand with other NATO allies.

Emerging New Threats in Unstable World

Reviewed

PhDr. Miloš Balabán, Ph.D., prof. PhDr. Martin Potůček, CSc., MSc., PhDr. Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011, Vol. XX. (LII.): 3-21

The article identifies new threats of global character influencing global security and quality of life. The inspiration is drawn from the debate over proposed updated Czech security strategy 2011, where several security scenarios were drafted. It is a free sequel to the study "Wild Cards in Future Development of World Security" published in this review in No. 2, 2008. The titles of some chapters are as follows: The Collapse of World's Monetary System and Global Economic Warfare, Crisis of Global Government, The Shortage of Key Commodities (oil, gas, coal, raw materials, water, foodstuffs), Migration, Organized Crime, European Union prior to Disintegration, The Crisis of NATO, New Religions, Will Rich People Live Longer?, etc.

The White Paper and the Security of the Czech Republic

Opinions, controversy

PhDr. Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011, Vol. XX. (LII.): 86-92

The existence of the Czech Army is at state. We need to get over present cut in military budget, ill-advised savings, without searching for new appropriate financial and material sources. To save something important means always to sacrifice or to give up something. Some security and military experts wish to dissociate themselves with approved methods. They think that the White Paper doesn't express opinions on many important things. It assumed that after five years there will be need to revise this White Book. So, proposes the author, wouldn't be better for us to regard the White Book only as an analytical document containing certain proposals for the following Defence Strategy of the CR, as originally intended?

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