Veiligheid en krijgsmacht
bookPart
A nation’s security arrangements are a key reflection of the national identity – and vice versa. Size, structure and deployment of the Armed Forces of a nation mirror its position in the world, or rather the public and political perception thereof. This essay deals with the consequences of changes in the security environment for the Netherlands Armed Forces. The focus is on the past twenty years, during which period the notion of security has gone through a number of shifts. The current era is an age of geopolitical uncertainty. The advance of technology has created new possibilities, but also new threats and security risks. The range of missions in and circumstances under which the military may be deployed has broadened considerably since the end of the Cold War – not just in theory, but in practice. Many of today’s military operations are best described as ‘complex emergencies’, a mix of peace keeping, peace enforcing, military policing, counter insurgency, stabilization and reconstruction. Driven by these changes in the security environment, the Netherlands Armed Forces are going through a process of transformation. This transformation is not just implementing a revolution of military affairs, but rather a strategic reconfiguration of the use of the military instrument in the whole palette of instruments of State power. Although the Dutch defence organisation has already made considerable steps, the current ‘new balance’ can hardly be considered an end state. New choices are inevitable, despite the fact that a clear blueprint for the final destination is lacking.
TNO Identifier
221879
Publisher
Walburg Pers
Source title
Staat van veiligheid: de Nederlandse samenleving sinds 1900
Editor(s)
Keizer, M. de
Roels, S.C.
Roels, S.C.
Place of publication
Zutpen
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