Defence and strategy

Dear readers,

I would like to introduce the first issue of the Obrana a strategie journal of 2018 with various, interesting and also non-traditional topical papers.

The introductory part consists of three articles touching the topic of jihadism or activities of the so-called Islamic State. The first contribution deals with the topic of the Bosniak factor in contemporary jihadism. The text focusses on fighters from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro. A paper by a couple of authors Tomáš Mičík and Tomáš Šmíd follows, examining activities of the terrorist organization Islamic State in Libya, where it has operated since 2014. This series is closed with a paper on the protection of cultural property by Eva Pelikánová, who opens an enriching debate about values and motivation of actors causing the respective kind of destruction, including the Islamic State. The author examines ideal types of destruction motivations and uses them for an analysis of particular cases.

Agata Mazurkiewicz has chosen a different topic. She uses the context of the Union’s strategic culture and discusses the complex nature of the EU’s approach to civil-military cooperation (CIMIC).

Following contributions have addressed usage of two interesting concepts in the military-strategic sphere. Tomáš Bruner and Martin Faix introduce the concept of lawfare, which refers to misuses of international law as a new weapon to achieve military advance. Pavel Dvořák with his text The Influence of U. S. and Other Allies on German Politics and the Bundeswehr Deployment in Afghanistan in 2001–2014 operates with the logic of appropriateness as a theoretical concept. The central focus is on Bundeswehr deployment in Afghanistan and related reputation of a reliable and dependable ally.

The following paper deals with terminology issues. Zbigniew Modrzejewski aims to describe main aspects of the information operation from the Polish doctrinal point of view.

The first issue of 2018 closes with a very useful critical article by Miroslav Kalous How (Not) to Predict the Future? The author deals with the Czech practice of scenario usage. He addresses frequent errors and vagueness which occur with using the method.

Finally, let me thank you for your ongoing interest on behalf of myself, the editorial board and all colleagues who contributed to this issue of the Obrana a strategie journal.

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