CIAO DATE: 07/06

Connections

 

Fall, Number 3, September 2005

Full Text (PDF, 135 Pages, 795 KB)

 

• Introduction: The Role of Armed Forces in Homeland Security: European and American Experiences and Practices  (PDF, 2 Pages, 32.37 KB)
  by Dr. John L. Clarke

  Homeland security is a topic that has generated a great deal of attention in the past five years, on both sides of the Atlantic. With the increased focus on the homeland, or domestic, security of states in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on New York, Washington, and Madrid, senior officials have been challenged to provide adequate levels of domestic security consistent with the resources that advanced Western states have available for these purposes.

• Homeland Security and Homeland Defense: America's New Paradigm  (PDF, 14 Pages, 100 KB)
  by Colonel Thomas L. LaCrosse

  The United States Constitution divides authority over the military between the president, in his role as Commander in Chief,1 and the Congress, which has the authority to"raise and support Armies … provide and maintain a navy, … and make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval forces." After the devastating terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, U.S. President George W. Bush reaffirmed that "The United States government has no more important mission than protecting the homeland from future attacks." The National Strategy for Homeland Security outlines the policy of the United States to achieve this goal.4 It defines homeland security as"a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur." Further evidence of the U.S. government's commitment to this mission can be found in statements made by senior Department of Defense leadership: “Protecting the United States homeland from attack is the highest priority of the Department of Defense.

• A New NATO Member's Perspective: Hungary's Army and Homeland Security  (PDF, 19 Pages, 131 KB)
  by Lt.Col. Imre Takács

  The last decade has brought substantial changes in the security environment for Europe, and the Euro-Atlantic region in general. Hungary has not been immune from these trends. Some aspects of these changes appear on their face to be positive, since the possibility of a purely European war was lessened, and the regional-ethnic conflicts of the 1990s have settled down, at least in a military sense. Nevertheless, new security challenges have emerged—most notably terrorism—that may require military intervention. The Republic of Hungary is currently in the process of developing a National Military Strategy, which—in accordance with the Basic Principle of the Security and Defense Policy,2 the National Security Strategy,3 and the Defense Reform4—meets the challenges of this new era.

  The ultimate goal of maintaining the Hungarian Defense Forces (HDF) is to support the enforcement of Hungary's national security interests. It is imperative, therefore, to clarify the role of the HDF, the principles of engagement, and the primary courses of technical development and funding that will best support that mission.

• The Weight of History: Germany's Military and Domestic Security  (PDF, 21 Pages, 136 KB)
  by Col. Gerhard J. Klose

  In order to arrive at a correct understanding of the German attitude towards homeland security, homeland defense, or military involvement in domestic operations, it is important to know that Germans think of their Bundeswehr as an institution designed for nothing else but to guarantee homeland defense and security. The defense of the German homeland has always been the main task of the German armed forces. And, through most of Germany's history, providing homeland security and defense has taken place as a domestic operation. Situated at the center of Europe and being nearly completely surrounded by potential enemies, there were always only two options for Germany in conducting this defense of its soil: to make it happen either inside or outside of the homeland.

  For centuries, Germany was prepared to use its terrain as the battlefield for homeland defense. This became especially true during the Cold War, when German territory was accepted as the theatre for the main ground conflict of a potential Third World War. It was also accepted that Germany was very likely to be affected by nuclear weapons in the event that World War III erupted. During the forty-five years of the Cold War, Germany got used to the idea of limiting its defensive actions to its own territory. There were never official plans in place to cross borders and take steps for the defense of the homeland outside Germany's borders, as in former days.

• The Role of Italy's Military in Supporting the Civil Authorities  (PDF, 21 Pages, 141 KB)
  by Lt.Gen. (Ret.) Carlo Cabigiosu

  Italy has a long tradition of deploying military forces in domestic contingencies, as will be described below. Hence we can look to a substantial and conspicuous body of legislation regarding this subject, as there has long existed a well-developed attitude among the various constituent bodies responsible for national defense to cooperate in all circumstances. Although the categories used in Italy are not the same as in the United States, for the sake of this essay reference will be made to the general terms of classification as they are used in the U.S.

• The Soviet Legacy: Transforming Bulgaria's Armed Forces for Homeland Security Missions  (PDF, 13 Pages, 92 KB)
  by Col. Nikolay K. Dotzev

  At the Istanbul Summit in June 2004, the member states of NATO confirmed that collective defense remains the main goal of the Alliance. The nations"remain fully committed to the collective defense of the people, territory, and forces” of the Alliance's member states, and stated, “transatlantic cooperation is essential in defending our values and meeting common threats and challenges, from wherever they may come." The processes of defense transformation have to ensure that the means match the ends, that the available capabilities match the missions. A number of processes that have the character of a military revolution affect the latest developments in military affairs. Militaries undertake new additional missions and tasks. The Bulgarian armed forces are fully involved in these processes.

• A Neutral's Perspective: The Role of the Austrian Armed Forces in Homeland Security  (PDF, 24 Pages, 147 KB)
  by Dr. Johann Frank

  The Austrian Armed Forces (AAF) have historically played a significant role in accomplishing security tasks in the domestic sphere. These tasks, extending beyond territorial defense, form an integral part of the constitutionally defined spectrum of possible military missions, and extend back to the times of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. These tasks are categorized as law enforcement assistance and disaster relief operations. According to Austrian legal regulations, military activities within the national territory in principle require that"the lawful civil power request its [the military's] cooperation."

• The Role of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom in Securing the State Against Terrorism  (PDF, 13 Pages, 96 KB)
  by Jonathan Stevenson

  The horror of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 led to worldwide condemnation. All parts of the world mourned the victims of the attacks with a sense of shared loss that was heightened by the fact that many of the victims were of nationalities other than American. Allies rushed to the support of the United States, and NATO promptly declared that the attack on the U.S. could be considered an attack on the entire nineteen- nation alliance. But while the U.S. chose to hike defense spending and intensify its efforts on homeland security, the effect on European countries was somewhat different. The terrorist attacks constituted a watershed in threat perceptions in the U.S., but to a large number of European countries the threat seemed less novel.