Strategic Culture or Confusion?
Charting Ireland’s diverse and disparate approaches to Defence and Security.
An early abstract for an article I have been threatening to write for some time…
Whilst the debate around security and defence is not a new phenomenon, one gets the sense that it may very well be maturing as we emerge from ‘Plato’s Cave’, to borrow an analogy used by F. S. L Lyons in describing post World War 2 Ireland and its position internationally. This paper will explore some of the issues raised by the author in previous writings, with regard to Ireland’s approach to security and defence. The question will be posed; is there a coherent strategic culture or sense of holistic understanding in Ireland’s approach to national security and defence? To what extent do Ireland assess risk, develop contingencies, resource capabilities and clearly enunciate its position. Has the Defence Forces and the wider defence and security community developed a coherent strategic culture or is there still organisational obstacles, hierarchies and restraining factors that prevent the development of a clear strategy statement; a statement that says who we are, what we stand for and how we intend to go about this?
Key questions?
- What is Ireland’s Strategic Culture? Key influences & principles?
- Who do we have most and least in common with, culturally? What about security and defence approaches? ‘Like minded nations’
- Can we draw up a strategy statement in 80 words?
- Is the White Paper a National Security Strategy?
- Does anyone care?
- What about other aspects of our strategic culture that don’t wear uniforms or agree with current policy? Anti-war movement, anti-DF sentiment and, far more extreme, subversives?
