Impact strategic nr.6-7 - Centrul de Studii Strategice de Apărare şi ...

ACTUALITATEA POLITICO-MILITARĂ
At present, there are used three types of strategical
planning:
a) Based on threats in security environment. (immobile
background);
Traditionally, strategical planning was based upon
fighting against the threats inside the security environment.
The threats are represented by the actions done by
state actors that affect the national interests of a country.
During this planning process, there are evaluated the
intentions of the potential aggressor and its possibilities
in time and space.
b) Based on own military capabilities (flexible background);
The difference this type of strategical planning and
the previous one consists on the fact that dimensioning
the force structure of a state is not in concordance with
the real or potential threat but exceeds it. In this case, the
force structure is seized on other criteria, the political
power aims imposing the supremacy of that country in its
areas of strategical interest. The best examples are North
Korea and Iraq. They use most part of their economical
resources in order to develop over-dimensioned forces
structure. Therefore, they try to become regional power
leaders although their military power is not sustained by
an economical potential.
This planning system is not flexible and does not allow
a fast adjustment to the changes done in the security
environment.
c) Based on counteracting the risks and vulnerabilities
(extended, flexible background)
The USA and NATO’s armies use this type. This pattern
of strategical planning does not try to identify enemies,
but phenomenon generating the destabilization of the
international order or tat might put in danger the security
and stability of some states area or regions. The risks may
be intensified by the internal vulnerabilities of the state or
other actors who have responsibilities or managing security
or international organizations (UN and OSCE).
The next step of strategical planning, although issued
only by the US military planners, is based on knowledge
and information in a fluid and digitized battlefield.
Promoting security by cooperation is shadowed by negative
phenomenon like proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, international terrorism, and intolerance.
The risks and vulnerabilities in the security environment
are identified in strategies by military analysts and
planners. They are mentioned in the official papers, in long
term strategic visions, national security strategy, military
strategies and doctrines. Our country has elaborated this
set of political-military documents that are the base of
the strategical planning. The strategical vision 2010 of
Romania’s Armed Forces, The Short Term strategical
evaluation of security environment, strategic plans on
Using Force, the Defense Planning Directive, the Doctrine
of Joint Actions (Operations) of the Armed Forces,
the Multinational Operations Doctrine, the Armed Forces
Doctrines, the Departments (Js) of the General Staff,
handbooks and rules of operations in different military
structures. Up to May, 2004 all these documents have to
be revised and adjusted to the NATO’s requirements.
3. New Society, New War and New Military Leader
The recent history shows the stressed need of new
leaders, able to lead the society. The present international
events, Iraq crisis represent a source for analyzing the
different ways of leading at the political, military and
economical levels.
Meantime, the confrontation between world powers
on battlefields or stock exchange may be seen as signs
of leading change at worldwide level. “The old model”
of organizing the world power has eroded continuously
after 1989 and doesn’t respond to the present or future
challenges. That is why building, planning a new future,
a new leader is needed.
Useful on this purpose is Leading US Army Handbook.
The Chief of US Land Forces General Staff, General Eric
Shinseki asserts that the fundamental principle will be “to
be a leader, to know and to act as a leader”. Starting from
moral values set- professionalism, loyalty, team spirit,
duty, respect, honor, personal courage adding abilities and
competencies you may star acting like a commander.
This handbook stresses the importance of the commanders’
value, those ones who have to put into practice
principles expressed in sophisticated terms. The conclusion
of the chapter on the leader’s position versus the changing
nature of the dangers the US Army has to confront with
is that “change is inevitable; it is useless to try to deny it
(…). In real terms, leading means adjustment, handle the
change and subordinate into your purpose”.
The new post-industrial society needs an ongoing
adjustment process to the requests, risks, changes and
threats of the moment. Projecting and building a political
and military architecture are more and more dependent on
realistic, positive, perspective visions. Military planning
has and will have an essential role in getting performance;
and performance has already become the condition of the
social existence in the third millenium world.
IMPACT STRATEGIC nr. 1-2/2003
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