Czech Military Review, 2012 (vol. 93), issue 4
Defence strategy: Vision of ResponsibilityNonreviewed - Research
Ing. Josef Opluštil
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 3-5 
The new ten-year defence strategy of the Czech Republic has been approved. The document stresses that despite the continuing recession, our state should not allow the military being weakened by further reduction of resources. This could worsen the quality of the military and weaken the Czech Republic's credibility in the international community. There is also the risk of the financial, organisational and personnel destabilisation of the Czech defence system that would bring about a loss of the quality of military personnel, a decayed prestige of the military service, an erosion of the state military capabilities. The new defence strategy is not a cure-all...
Defence Department Has Established the Institution for Strategy StudiesNonreviewed
Ing. Vladimír Karaffa, CSc.
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 6-11
On May 15, 2012, the Czech Defence Minister decided to establish the Centre for Security and Military Strategic Studies. The institution of this type has been long awaited, with great expectations. The author, director of this institute, presents the survey of similar scholarly institutions founded and finally cancelled in this country after 1989. This article introduces the original intent of its founders, namely Centre's future role in the development of strategic studies as a starting point for strategic management, its place in the system of Czech military education and training. The results reached by this institute ought to be truly utilized...
Legitimate and Illegitimate Wars after 1990 (Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, the Balkans)Reviewed - Research
Doc. PhDr. Jan Eichler, CSc.
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 12-24
This treatise is a follow-up to an article by the same author in Military Review No. 2, 2012, dealing with legal and illegal war after 1990. Now the author concentrates on another key question: the legitimacy and the unlawfulness of force deployments in internationalrelations. The paper is grounded on fundamental works by the former Australian foreign secretary Gareth Evans, setting international rules or criteria determining when it is right to fight. The effectiveness of the global security system is not only on the legality of its security decisions, military actions, but the common perception of their legitimacy-whether they are made on solid evidentiary...
NATO Common Funding as a Tool for Cohesion Enhancement and Ability to ActMilitary art
Ing. Josef Procházka, Ph.D.
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 25-34
In the past, the Common Funding played only marginal role in the NATO strategic decision-making. However, this situation changed significantly when the global economic crisis challenged the national public expenditures and NATO defence policy became a matter of serious reflections. NATO should balance its requirements with limited resources and adjust its future activities within shrinking budgets. NATO must make hard decisions and implement reforms in order to ensure its ability to fulfil its mission and priority tasks in the long run. The reconfiguration of Common Funding is an inherent part of this process. The aim of this article is to introduce...
Operational Analysis: Key Capability Supporting Decision-makingMilitary art
Ing. Pavel Zůna, MSS, Ph.D.
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 35-44
The defence environment is complex and dynamic. This is a result of the nature of modern conflict, rapid changes in technology, the need to deal with uncertainty in the face of limited sources, changed attitudes to risk and the sheer diversity of actors from different cultural backgrounds. Defence-decision makers are confronted with an increasing operational complexity that has strategic implications. Decisions on defence policy and strategy are characterized by uncertainty and risks. This Article describes differences in Hard and Soft Operational Analyses, and presents some examples and conclusions for military practice.
Operational Art: Theory for PracticeMilitary art
Ing. Ján Spišák
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 45-54
The aim of the article is to provide the readers information related to the theory of fundamental elements and tools of operational art, which are for the preparation and conduct of military operations, particularly at the operational level of war, critical. The operational level of war depends on methods that will create appropriate conditions to achieve the closing state, set by a superior commander, in accordance with the complex strategy of military and non-military instruments of state power. Although the methods of application of specific operational art components rest mainly in the mind of the English Annotations and with several acts tied...
System Problems with Career Soldiers Incomes: Qualification for Pay ClassesOpinions, controversy
Kapitán Ing. Jakub Picka
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 55-60
The author analyses current pay and reward system of remuneration according to merits, years of service, military profession, speciality, rank, etc. We have many military specialisations that do not fit to only several pay classes. The author concludes that present-day system leads us to badproportioned states, when some military specialities are overvalued, whereas other ones are underrated. This problem is continuously solved. Today we propose new military remuneration model taking into account total fixed remuneration and premium service components.
Nuclear Deterrence and Cooperation? (Russian Security and Foreign Policy 2008-2012)Informational pages
Mgr. et Mgr. Lukáš Tichý
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 61-72
The objective of this article is to analyse the security and foreign policy of the Russian Federation in 2008-2012, in terms of security culture. The article is based on the assumption that the Russian security and foreign policy during Medvedev's presidency was characterized by four features: promoting multilateralism, exaggeration Russian national security threats, emphasizing the possibility of the use of nuclear deterrence, and using energy as a political tool. The article is based on three Russian strategic documents, i.e. Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation, National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation to 2020 and the Military...
The Cyber War ContinuesInformational pages
PhDr. Antonín Rašek
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 73-89
The author summarizes present-day knowledge of this problem. Worms and viruses have transformed to serious security challenges and perfect instruments of cyber espionage. They have become a tool in information warfare. Cyberattacks transformed to risks calling only for technical responses. The growing awareness of the seriousness of the cyber-threat is enhanced by incidents, e.g. the malware "Stuxnet" attacking the Iranian nuclear programme. Actually, cyber space is regarded as a fifth dimension of military deployment, apart for land, air, water, and cosmos. Some nations are already investing massively in cyber capabilities that can be used for military...
Using the Sociomapping Method in Defence DepartmentInformational pages
Ing. Michal Hrbata
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 90-93
The aim of this work is to explain readers the so-called sociomapping method that is among others used in Czech peacekeeping units employed abroad, e.g. in Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq or Afghanistan. Sociomapping came into being in 1994, when a young scientist Radovan Bahbouh came up with the idea of this special analytical-graphical method. The method reflects the description of human activities and ways in which we could (in the positive sense) affect human lives. With Sociomapping, we can even predict the most suitable staffing of the crew. Sociomapping is shown as proper instrument, which helps to determine the problem and most important areas...
The Application of Fuel Dopes for ACR Cars, Material and EquipmentsMilitary professional
Profesor Ing. Aleš Komár, CSc.
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 94-98
The article presents the results of advanced defence research for the higher economy and security support of military cars and vehicles. The Czech national programme to cut or lower exhaust fumes belongs among our eminent and foremost tasks. Exhaust gases form 20 per cent of total volume of harmful emissions. The newly developed dopes supplemented to fuels, namely to solid fuels, polluting a lot our atmosphere, significantly contribute to the fulfilment of this national task. The article is accompanied by relevant charts and tablets.
Biodromal Preparation Concept of Citizens for their Protection during EmergenciesMilitary professional
JUDr. et PhDr. Jaroslav Padrnos, CSc.
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 99-110
People must be prepared for unexpected anddangerous situations that must be dealt with immediately. The prerequisite of people training for the emergency situations is their overall preparation. The concept ought to be extending over a relatively long time, well elaborated and coherent. The prerequisite of such preparation is the existence of appropriate laws supporting a lifelong, "biodromaly" conceived educational concept. The readers have a chance to familiarise themselves with results from sociological inquiry, being done at the end of 2010, and with several acts tied with civil emergency preparation.
Military Expenditures and their Evaluation in Selected EU CountriesMilitary professional
Ing. Lenka Brizgalová, Ph.D.
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 111-121
The article deals with the evaluation of military expenditures of European Union's four selected countries in the period of 2001-2008. Among examined countries belong the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia. The term military expenditures is used by many users, so the article defines first this term and also sources from which the authoress collected data for evaluation. The main source of statistical data about military expenditures is the Stockholm international institute, namely its research yearbooks.
The Question of Deployment Length in Peace-keeping MissionsMilitary psychology
Major Mgr. Marek Nový
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 122-128
From research reports cited in this article, the period of six months seems to be suitable time for the deployment abroad. A soldier should not be redeployed for at least one year, following his previous mission. The majority of soldiers cope with deployments well and without any psychopathology. Most reported mental problems are alcohol misuse, followed by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and by the depression. Alcohol seems be even the higher risk for soldiers less exposed to combat stressors (e.g. fire), but more to chronic stressors (boredom, isolation, helplessness) than PTSD for a soldier in action. Therefore pre-deployment training of our...
Czech Professional Army: Initial Five YearsBook review
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 129-135
This year, the Hlávka Economy Institute published a book "Professional Army in the Czech Republic: First Five Years", by Bohuslav Pernica. It is a study dealing with first five years in which the Czech Republic transformed its forces from a conscription army to all-volunteer one. The author sees the necessity to go professional in context of changed global surrounding after the end of Cold War. The subject is treated mainly from economy point of view. He pays attention to three important issues related to this transformation: recruitment /retention, training /education, and substandard soldier's pay, which is one of roots of low service competitiveness...
Intelligence Services (A Multidisciplinary Approach to Problem)Book review
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 136-138
In our country we can meet various publications on intelligence activities, nevertheless we feel the lack of expert books with wider overreach. Among those publications that fulfil such demands belongs the work by Ladislav Pokorný "Secret Agencies", Prague: Auditorium, 2012. The book covers intelligence organizations of all kinds, including military ones. In military section the reviewer cites the famous ironic sentence "Under the Czech Law, we have three intelligence services, in fact there are four of them, with five directors". The publication is of high information value and could also serve as a university textbook.
Václav Prchlík: The General that Couldn't be Ashamed of his RankPersonal data
PhDr. Antonín Rašek.
Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 4/2012: 139-145
Mr. Prchlík would have been ninety years this year. He started his career as a professional soldier. Among others he was Deputy Defence Minister, then he assumed the position of the director of the Main Political Directorate, and finally he was elected Member of Parliament. In 1967-68 he opposed to military coup d'etat in favour of the former Czechoslovak president Novotný. In 1968 he became a head of Administrative Section, Central Committee, Communist Party. He had under his control all military and police activities in the country. The Soviets asked to be disposed from this position and finally he was even arrested. When released from prison, till...