Defence and strategy

Michael MURAD

This paper is devoted to analyzing the nature of immigration from Iraq to the Czech Republic. Its primary aim is to identify main security threats connected with the immigration from Iraq and consequential analysis of risks that Iraqis can represent for the Czech Republic. The very small and quite well integrated and specific minority of Iraqis living in the Czech Republic is also analysed in detail in this essay. The main threat that can be posed by Iraqi immigration into the Czech Republic is a threat to the national security based on their criminal activities. Probably the most publicly discussed threat connected with the so-called Muslim immigration into Europe – terrorism, is not so topical in the Czech Republic at this moment.

Petr MARTINOVSKÝ

In recent years, a threat of water scarcity has been a frequently discussed topic in security and strategic studies. However, we lack evaluative researches on this threat in the Central European area, especially in the Czech Republic. The aim of this paper is to help with filling the vacancy and to explore the reflection of the threat of water scarcity among Czech security policy actors. Appropriate methodological ground is provided by the constructivist concept of securitization by the Copenhagen School of Security Studies. Primary data have been obtained from questionnaires, secondary and tertiary data subsequently from relevant actors’ documents analysis. In the final part of the study, the author partially steps aside from the constructivist view and on the basis of observed trends summarizes the main objective features of the threat itself.

Pavel NEČAS*, Peter TEREM**, Miroslav KELEMEN***

The new strategy was supposed to be presented at NATO’s 60th anniversary summit in Bucharest, as the previous Strategic Concept was agreed upon when NATO celebrated its 50th birthday ten years before. A number of factors baffled this intention. Despite the interest, particularly among the NATO members, who joined the Alliance after the end of the cold war, in a new strategic foundation for NATO, many of some other members had their doubts, because the new NATO strategy would have to take on both problems; the specification of the role of the Alliance and the promotion of its existence. To do so, it has to be a hybrid document, addressing the political and military decision making level in NATO as well as the publics inside and outside the Alliance. It has to provide strategic guidance and should be the foundation on which to build public support for security policy needs.

Martin HOREMUŽ

The article analyzes the Russian military reform in context of security policy of the Russian Federation after the Soviet Union break up in 1991. In this connection it observes main features and problems connected with the military reform. Crucial for this period were wide changes in the international security environment (break up of bipolar system of international relations), which had a direct influence on redefinition and new formation of security politics of many countries, including Russia. On the other hand, this period meant specific conditions for the Russian Federation, during which the country was internally confronted with economy transformation effected during the whole period of the 90’s by permanent economical and social crises, creating of a new political system and searching of its post-imperial identity in the system of international relations.

Miroslav KALOUS

The study is concerned with the Israeli invasion to Gaza (named by Israelis operation Cast Lead) which was launched in December 2008 and provoked a lot of controversy. One particular stream of public discussion which perked up at the time of pulling back Israeli forces has been dealing with the question if the operation was successful in terms of improving Israeli deterrent potential. The study also asks this question but in a more profound and structured manner. In order to do so it sees the operation and a few preceding and following months through the lens of four different conceptions of deterrence which can be found in Israeli security thinking (and were laid out by Uri Bar-Joseph in 1998). More specifically, the study tries to answer these questions: Which strategy of deterrence had Israel used before operation Cast Lead? Which strategy could have been strengthened by the operation? Did this strengthening actually occur?