Czech Military Review, 2011 (vol. 92), issue 4

Emerging New Threats in Unstable WorldReviewed

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

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 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,...

Forming Security Culture of the European Union (European Security Strategy)Reviewed - Research

Doc. PhDr. Jan Eichler, CSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 22-36  

The Document ESS 2003 laid down foundations of our present-day security and strategy culture. It was formed as a summary of several historical and political factors that are introduced in two starting chapters, followed by the more detailed analysis into ESS 2003, its main characteristics influencing EU security and strategic culture. The ESS 2003 is compared with the American doctrinal document NSS 2002. The European security strategy of 2003 is not compared with following American strategical documents, as they were unknown in time of its drafting. The author comes into the conclusion that in spite of indisputable differences, the EU shares the same...

The Security System of the CR and the Necessity of its Adaptation to Cumulative Effects of ThreatsReviewed - Review

PhDr. Libor Stejskal

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 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...

Prospective Attitudes to the Reform of Security SystemMilitary art

Ing. Vladimír Krulík

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 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...

Decisive Points Concept (Part II)Military art

Ing. Ján Spišák

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 65-73  

The article continues explanation basic operational terms, familiarizes readers with true theoretical fundamentals of the key element of operational design - the decisive point. Basic doctrinal interpretations are described and explained. Its introduction and utilization is visible during the operational planning process and elaboration of operational design. The concept of decisive point has a close connection to the other concepts, namely lines of operations, the centre of gravity and the end state. The concept is further evolved via example of peace support military operation planning process. Key words: decisive points, decisive conditions, lines...

The Relative Leverage of Combat PowersMilitary art

Ing. Jaroslav Kulíšek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 74-85  

The overall purpose of this paper is to describe the way the Alliance and the also the Czech Army is going to apply the leverage of powers while conducting operations in the future. The article shows in details that the relative combat power analysis requires an assessment of factors either directly or indirectly affecting the potential outcome of the operation. In order to improve military knowledge and operational thinking within the Czech Army it is recommended to improve the quality of officers' military training and personnel preparation in accordance with Czech MoD White Paper on Defence. The views expressed in this assessment are those of the...

The White Paper and the Security of the Czech RepublicOpinions, controversy

PhDr. Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 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...

Operational Art: A different viewOpinions, controversy

Ing. Ján Spišák, doc. Ing. Milan Kubeša, CSc., Ing. Pavel Zůna, MSS

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 93-96  

The article polemize against the content of the article "Operational Art" that was published in the previous issue of this Czech Military Review, 3/2011. The polemics points out that the author of the criticized article applied doctrinally incorrect terminology, he did not respect the valid standards of the military terminology and is cross-indexing to the old Allied standards. Such articles should present new lessons from field theory and practice, which would contribute to the professional preparedness of the military personnel, and to the required interoperability with our coalition partners. But according to the authors, criticized article is rather...

National Security Planning and the Issue of Varying Prices: MoD Case StudyInformational pages

Podplukovník Ing. Bohuslav Pernica, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 97-104  

Government controls state executives by planning, i.e. a bureaucratic process providing sets of documents. Such plans ought to be feasible in an expecting resource environment. Approach and methods using for working out respective plans are supposed to be conforming to the purpose. In order to be realistic, a financial plan, a budget, should cope with environment of increasing and decreasing prices and exchange rates. This essay, as a case study, deals with the issue of adapting of the short and medium-term planes working out by the Czech MoD for purpose of programming, budgeting and purchasing. The case study shows that generally there is a long-run...

Public Procurements: Themes for Further Developing backed by White Paper on Defence in Connection with Governmental Assessment of Public ProcurementsInformational pages

Prof. PhDr. František Ochrana, DrSc.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 105-117  

The White Paper on Defence is a frame document that only points out main directions of military activities that further must be worked up in detail at all levels of defence department. This study presents all possible themes in the field of public procurements. As he set principles in the Whiter Paper correspond to those set in governmental document Public Procurements, it depends only on MoD experts to what measure they meet governmental requirements and implement them into drafted concept materials, incorporating rules for placing, assignment, rating, examination and audit.

Islamism as a Security Threat to the Czech RepublicInformational pages

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

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 118-128  

This paper deals with various forms of Islamist threats to the Czech Republic, with specific attention paid to military issues. It defines the basic terms and describes the role of the Czech Republic in Islamist strategies. Threats of terrorism and jihadism, extremism and riots, violation of women's rights, including the so-called "honour crimes", and internal clashes within the Muslim community are analyzed. Contemporary situation of the Czech Republic can be characterized mostly as "logistic area" to Islamism. Even thought there is not an eminent danger, the intensity of several Islamist threats could be higher in the future. The primary purpose...

WikiLeaks Case and Its Reflections in World's Security CommunityInformational pages

PhDr. Antonín RAŠEK

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 129-137  

Czech dailies and weeklies publicised their analyses of the diplomatic dispatches released by WikiLeaks. Some were concerned in world's politics, but higher attention was paid to 1,271 dispatches from Prague. According to the dispatches, the U.S. Navy wanted to purchase 23 Russian anti-ship missiles to obtain the weapons from Belarus through Ukraine, with a Czech arms dealer. However, the Czech government decided to derail the plan by not granting the Czech middleman the needed permission to export weapons from a dictatorship like Belarus. Various cables also detailed a dispute in the area of arms technology. Some observations from the dispatches dealing...

Strong and Week Features of "Responsible Ownership of Technology" ConceptMilitary professional

Ing. Marie Poláchová

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 138-144  

There is an urgent need to recognize changed priorities and evolve new approaches to non-proliferation and disarmament objectives for a sharper focus on the real and present dangers to international peace and stability. The focus must now shift to more effective monitoring and verification of compliance at various levels. The proposed ROOT system (Responsible Ownership of Technology) might be one of such means to meet above mentioned challenges that could eliminate present-day dangers and contribute to international peace and stability. It is the technology for security in the 21st century.

The Operational Preparation of State Territory and a New System of Railroad Structure ReconstructionMilitary professional

Ing. Jan Englich, doc. Ing. Radovan Soušek, Ph.D., Ing. Jan Strbačka, CSc., Ing. Pavel Viskup

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 145-159  

The paper offers new looks at the system of railroad reconstruction in crisis and emergency situations. It originates from The Operational Plan of State Territory Preparation that is implemented in harmony with The Plan of Technology Protection of Railroad. This article is a free sequel to information published in this Military Revue No. 4/2005 dealing with drafting the plan of railroad technology protection. The authors´ main purpose is to give readers basic knowledge on key changes in railroad security system and main security measurements till 2013. The protection system is intended to be more flexible and economic.

Food Terrorism and AgroterrorismMilitary professional

Ing. Hana Vlachová, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 160-168  

People commonly imagine terrorist attack as hijacking or improvised explosive device hidden in crowded place. However terrorists can also attack against food, cattle, farm crops or water resources. These kinds of attacks can be ranked among agroterrorism or food terrorism, whereas agroterrorists attack against cattle, farm crops or water resources; food terrorists attack against foodstuffs. This paper is intended to provide information about agroterrorism and food terrorism as possible forms of wilful violence. Food security became discussed issue especially after anthrax incidents in 2001. There are many authorities that deal with these issues, for...

Left Aside: Applicative Impact of Public Legal Nature of Service Relationship of ServicemenMilitary law

PhDr. Ing. Matěj Fichtner, MBA

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 169-177  

The paper is devoted to the public legal nature of the service relationship and consequences that arise from this fact. It implies the non-existence of publicly available applicable theoretical apparatus (explicit paradigm), which would describe service legal relationships in context of stabilized principles of Czech judicature. It is the judicature from which this paper derives basic knowledge about the service procedural law and systematically connects them in a unified theory. As a result, it concludes that the service relationship, or the service law, is a special branch of the administration law. It points out the necessity of a discussion about...

Main Principles of International Humanitarian LawMilitary law

RNDr. Marek Jukl, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 178-184  

Contemporary International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is the law of armed conflict or law of war and their effects. The goal of IHL is to limit the effects of warfare on people and property and to protect particularly vulnerable persons. The IHL does not exclude war activities as it acknowledges the principle of the so-called war necessity. Humanitarian law is the branch of public international law that comprises the rules, which, in times of armed conflict, seek to protect persons who are not or are no longer taking part in the hostilities, restrict the methods and means of warfare employed, and resolve matters of humanitarian concern resulting from war....

Everyone Has the Right to Refuse (Pacifism, Registered Denominations and Church Societies)Military sociology

Ing. Bohuslav Vlček, Ph.D.

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 185-189  

The study deals with pacifism in programmes of church denominations and societies acting legally in the Czech Republic and its supposed influence for manning Czech forces by retired ex-servicemen in times of war. During the state of emergency, war danger or even a war, the armed forces will be replenished by retired servicemen that under actual Defence Act are obliged to rejoin the forces. Today, all men, citizens have a legal right to refuse to serve in army. We have an official list of 32 church denominations; all of them have a special policy towards war, defence, and military service. The author asked denominations to reply several questions concerning...

Geopolitics: A New OpticsBook review

PhDr. Antonín Rašek

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 190-194  

In his new book, Geopolitics, its author Štefan Volner examines geopolitical theories as if through the prism of new images. It is in fact a free sequel to his previous books on political science. He puts geopolitics somewhere in between natural and social sciences, which is rather ambivalent attitude, namely in cases of using terms thermodynamics, chaos theory and so on. He mentions names such as Huntington, Brzezinski, Friedman, but surprisingly he pays his attention also to less known - at least in our country - Aleksandr Dugin, as a representative of 'new Eurasianism', a new ideology of present-day Russian 'national patriots'. In the second part...

Discovering Future as a ChallengeBook review

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 195-200  

The identification of security threats and subsequent risks is the base on which we form security and military strategies. It is also the core of all security scenarios. That's why we must welcome all books dealing with futurology predictions, like The Cognition of Future as a Challenge by Martin Potůček at al, Karolinum, Charles University. He summarizes knowledge and experiences done by CESES, the only scholarly lab dealing systematically with drafting up visions and strategies the Czech state might be confronted with. The CESES is a Czech acronym, which stands for the Centre for Social and Economic Strategies, at the Faculty of Social Sciences,...

He Died at the Battle of Britain Colonel in memoriam Antonín VelebnovskýPersonal data

Plk. v .v. Petr Majer

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2011: 201-203  

This year we mark the 70th anniversary when the commander of 1st Squadron, RAF, Lt/O Antonín Velebnovský died in the Battle of Britain. He was only 26 years old. His biography is typical for Czechoslovak airmen. After German occupation of Czech lands, he fled abroad, to France. In Britain Antonín Velebnovský belonged among those officers who were assigned to British squadrons. His 1st Squadron was the first that was furnished with fighters Hawker Hurricane. Under his command served several legendary flying aces: Kuttelwascher, Jícha, Krátkoruký, Příhoda, Čížek, Dygrýn. His Hurricane was damaged in air combat and crushed down nearby the air base Tangmere,...