PatrickS
12-29-2014, 19:46
Interesting read from Latvia's National Defence Academy.
Some key points:
The need for changes to the North Atlantic Treaty
"Since the Crimean operation was not an armed attack, but the operationalization of new forms of warfare, the question is, to what extent is NATO’s legal framework ready to deal with modern warfare?.....Latvia faces the risk of NATO’s military forces being willing to fight for Latvia, but being unable to because of politicians."
The fear that NATO doesn't "care" about Latvia
"If an operation similar to Crimea occurs in one of the Baltic countries, one that is not a clear armed military attack, to what extent will economic interests be, or not be, stronger than the duty to protect the territorial integrity of small peripheral countries? In this case, the only alternative for Latvia is for the National Armed Forces to provoke an armed attack, making it clear that Article 5 has to be implemented."
Reforms concerning conscription
"The idea is to follow a mix between the Finnish, the Swiss, and the Israeli model, with every Latvian citizen being a soldier, ready to defend his/her country. The idea of extending conscription to women should also be considered."
The assessment that their armed forces might just be a large suicide squad
"The idea that the Armed Forces' role should be limited to a (suicide) battalion ready to die, with the objective of making a foreign attack "official", as discussed in the media, is the first step to defeat. This thinking not only presupposes 3rd generation/conventional warfare, but is wrong in its essence."
Some key points:
The need for changes to the North Atlantic Treaty
"Since the Crimean operation was not an armed attack, but the operationalization of new forms of warfare, the question is, to what extent is NATO’s legal framework ready to deal with modern warfare?.....Latvia faces the risk of NATO’s military forces being willing to fight for Latvia, but being unable to because of politicians."
The fear that NATO doesn't "care" about Latvia
"If an operation similar to Crimea occurs in one of the Baltic countries, one that is not a clear armed military attack, to what extent will economic interests be, or not be, stronger than the duty to protect the territorial integrity of small peripheral countries? In this case, the only alternative for Latvia is for the National Armed Forces to provoke an armed attack, making it clear that Article 5 has to be implemented."
Reforms concerning conscription
"The idea is to follow a mix between the Finnish, the Swiss, and the Israeli model, with every Latvian citizen being a soldier, ready to defend his/her country. The idea of extending conscription to women should also be considered."
The assessment that their armed forces might just be a large suicide squad
"The idea that the Armed Forces' role should be limited to a (suicide) battalion ready to die, with the objective of making a foreign attack "official", as discussed in the media, is the first step to defeat. This thinking not only presupposes 3rd generation/conventional warfare, but is wrong in its essence."