Writing Sample
- 1. Writing Sample; HaleyHerbig November1,2014 POL 263 ProfessorO’Reilly Defence over Policy? A Defense Policy,insimple terms,isapublicpolicydealingwithinternationalsecurityandthe military.Usuallycomprisedof measuresandinitiativesthatgovernmentsdoordo not take inrelationto decision-makingandstrategicgoals.Almosteverycountryonearthhas some sortof policythatfollows thisdefinition.However,onlyone clusterof nationsabideunderone setof guidelines,thisiscalledthe EuropeanUnion.The EuropeanUnionconsistsof 28 countrieswhoabide underthe same rulesinorder to become peaceful aswell asbenefiteachotherasstrongalliesandtradingpartners.The whole ideaof a commondefence policythatthe EuropeanUnioncountriesshouldfollow wastakenfromthe Western EuropeanUnion(WEU), whichwas a defence alliance composedof Belgium, France,Germany,Greece, Italy,Luxembourg,the Netherlands,Portugal,Spain,andthe UnitedKingdom.Thisorganizations’sole purpose wasto create a firmbasisfor the EuropeaneconomicrecoveryinWesternEurope,tooffer mutual assistance tomembercountriesinresistinganypolicyof external aggression,andtopromote unityandencourage positive integrationinEurope.Thisprogramendedupworkingsowell thatinlate 2000, at the WEU Ministerial Council inMarseille(France),the original memberstatesagreeditwould be beneficialtotransferthe organization’scapabilitiesandfunctionstothe EuropeanUnion.After followingtwodistinctCouncilJointActionsthe WesternEuropeanUnionInstitute forSecurityStudies and the Satellite Centre became the EuropeanUnionInstitute forSecurityStudiesandthe European UnionSatellite Center.Whichinturnestablishedthe EuropeanDefenceagencythatlaidthe foundations of the armamentorganizationandgroupwithinthe WEU.Later on The Treatyof Lisbonsetprovisions for eachcountry’sdefence policydoctrine toabide by,whilealsoextendthe scope andrange of the Petersburgtasks.The Petersburgtasksinclude ‘jointdisarmamentoperations,humanitarianandrescue tasks,militaryadvice andassistance tasks,conflictpreventionandpeace-keepingtasks,tasksof combat forcesincrisismanagement;includingpeace-makingandpost-conflictstabilization1 .Thisledtothe 1 “EuropeanExternal ActionService.” European Union. EuropeanUnion ExternalAction, n.d. Tues. 11 Nov. 2014. http://www.eeas.europa.eu/csdp/about-csdp/eda/index_en.htm
- 2. creationof the overall EuropeanDefence Policy,aswell as the creationof the guidelinesthateach countryapart of the EuropeanUnionhas to abide by.Thisincludes,butisnotlimited,toanumberof keytasksfor civilianpolicing(Monitoring,advising,andtraining),monitoringmissions,andsupportfor EU Special Representativesandsecuritysectorreform(SSR).Asawhole the EuropeanUnionstrivesto make the defense policysothatit coversbeingcapable,effective,andcoherentwhentacklingconflict preventionandcrisisresponse;Howevereachone of the 28 EU countriesdon’tfollow the European Union’sdefence policyexactly,assometimesthe defence policywill be spotonlike Croatia’spolicy,be inthe middle identicallywithGermanyspolicy,orbe shamefullycomparedwithItaly’spolicy. To start out, one hasto lookat the model amongall of the countries,thisisCroatia’sdefence policy.The Republicof Croatiasitsatthe crossroadsof Central Europe,SoutheastEurope,andthe Mediterraneanwithapopulationof around4,281,000 people inhabiting itsborders.Regardlessof it beingclassifiedasone of the small anddevelopingcountries,whenbiasingituponthe defence policy guidelines,itactuallyendsuphavingone of the bestdefense policiesinthe EuropeanUnion.Notonly do theyhave half of theirpopulationinthe military,asubstantial amountof militaryequipment(land systems,airpower,andnaval power),andfinancial aidindeedmatch’supperfectlywiththe European Unionwantingcountriestobe more capable.But these areasalsoreside underbeingmore effective biasedonthe fact that if theywere to be attackedone can safelysaytheywouldindeedbe preparedfor rapidresponse.2 The bestwayto put itis byreferringdirectlytothe Republicof Croatia’sdefencepolicy doctrine from2005; itstatesthat a countryhas “to establishamoderndefence systemstructure that will be capable of respondingtothreatsof the new era,while dependingonNATOmembershipand securityarrangementswithinthe frameworkof the EuropeanUnion.”3 Subsequentlythe specificarticles that make The Republicof Croatia’spolicyisresilientforthe sole reasonthatwhile otherEuropean UnioncountriesonlyalignwithEU declarationsthisnationsupersedesall othersbyenhancingrelations withneighboringthird-worldcountries,developingbilateral andmultilateralinternational cooperation. It has alsoestablishedconcentratedmilitarilyfocusinaddingrestrictivemeasures,conflictprevention, cooperationwithinternationalorganizations,andsecurity measures(classifiedinformation).Theseextra bonusessetCroatiaapart fromall othernationson the groundsthat the Croatiagovernmenthas establishedallianceswithinandoutside the EuropeanUnioninadditiontoreputedthattheyhave the 2 http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-12094-2014-INIT/en/pdf 3 “Republic ofCroatia:Annual Exchange ofInformationon Defence Policy2005.” (2005):1-27.Arhiva. OSCE Forum Security Cooperation, 2005. Web. 1 Oct. 2014. <http://arhiva.morh.hr/en/documents/OSCE-FINAL_ENG.pdf>
- 3. militarypower,multiple solutionstoanypossible attackthatmighthappen,andhas contributedto multiple agreementsandmeasures(i.e.ViennaDocument1999, RACVIAC,andOpenSkiesagreement)4 . Thus the eightyearsafterCroatia’sDefence Policywaswrittenup,thiscountryisstartingtosee considerable benefitstotheiringeniouspolicy.Pertainingtothe PolicyRecommendationsStudyGroup Regional StabilityinSouthEastEurope Analysisdone inZagreb,Croatiain2013, “Croatia’sparticipation inthe EU will be asuccess – to the benefitof Croatiaitself,of the WesternBalkansregion,andof the EU as a whole.”5 Herebythe EuropeanUnionisimpressedsofarwithCroatia’sDefence Policy,since it followssectionFsubsection2point1.2.2. withinthe CommonForeignandSecurityPolicywhichis,too developadvancedtrainingmethodologies,improvecoordinationwithself-contributingcountries,and cooperatingwithbodiesof international organizationstofurtherdeveloptrainingstandardsandidentify needs.6 Hopefully,Croatiawillbe able tokeepupitsimage withbeingone of the bestdefence policiesin the EuropeanUnion.Howevernotall countriescanholdup to the same standardsas the bestpolicy, mostcountrieswithinthe EuropeanUnionhave average policies,forexample GermanysDefencePolicy. 4 Screening Report Croatia: Chapter 31 (foreign, Security and Defence Policy) (n.d.):n. pag. European Union. Europa, 22 June 2007. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. <http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/croatia/screening_reports /screening_report_31_hr_internet_en.pdf>. 5 Academy, AustrianNational Defence. "PolicyRecommendations' StudyGroupRegional StabilityinSouthEast Europe." PfP Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies Institutes (2013):n. pag. Situation Analysis. PfP Consortium of Defense Academies andSecurityStudiesInstitutes, 26-28 Sept. 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2014. <http://www.bmlv.gv.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/pfpc_rssee_27ws_policy.pdf>. 6 The Common Foreign and Security Policy. Council ofthe EuropeanUnion. Brussels. 23 July, 2014. F. Common Securityand Defence Policy, 2. More Effective, 2.2. Train and Equipment, 1.2.2. Training andexercises, pg.195