Introduction
Security issues have been an important aspect in any place, any city, any region and in any country. Different governments whether national and local, are spending much of their budget in implementing security strategy. Globalization, innovation and technology are the aspects that helped the life of many people and countries in the world but unfortunately, it is now being used as a tool in creating violence and chaos and other threat in the security issues of different countries.
During the five years after the fall of the Berlin wall, redefining the nature and requirements of the European security have been the most challenging conceptual tasks (MacArdle Kelleher, 1995, p. 1). If you are going to view it in the perspective of the Western Europe, the continent is now more secured than the any other era in the past two centuries. The threat of the Soviet empire was gone so as the competition of idea with the communist system. The peaceful and democratic unification of Germany also added to the security development of the country (MacArdle Kelleher, 1995, p. 1). According to MacArdle Kelleher (1995), the said union was bound firmly by their choice to create an integrated European economic system and create a transatlantic security community (p. 1).
During the forty years after the World War II, Europe lived with relatively simple security architecture (Patten, 2003, p. 1). The Iron Curtain drew a tangible, easy-to-identify limit between the space and the potential enemies (Patten, 2003, p. 1). Patten (2003) stated that, a strategy of containment was widely accepted by the majority of the European countries and underpinned by North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO (p.1).
European Security Strategy
Due to different events that have happened in different part of the globe, Europe is now expanding its strategy regarding the security issues of their continent. Europe was intensely taken aback of the Warsaw Pact and break up of the former Yugoslavian Federation and more recently, the 9/11 bombing showing that even USA was no longer the untouched, invulnerable haven that it had been all through the twentieth Century (Patten, 2003, p. 1). The terrorism attacks of September were a dreadfully dramatic demonstration of the new security threats that face the human race (Patten, 2003, p.1). It served as an eye opener of different countries in the world.
Nowadays, every nation and region is in great need of comprehensive, widely supported Security Strategy in order to operate in a more complex and fast-moving environment (Patten, 2004, p. 2). It is crucial to define the strategy that will help to make a momentous progress and help to focus on the specific political and operational decisions that it means (Patten, 2003, p.2).
Institutional Change
Many of the directions of institutional change were clear as well as the period of debate and rapid change are at close, from the vantage point of late 1994 (MacArdle Kelleher, 1995, p. 23). NATO has emerged as the primary framework for European security, and the relationship will stay for as long as the United States wishes it and as long as the said country will remain engaged to the pact (McArdle Kelleher, 1995, p.23).
To ensure security against neighbor countries like for example, Russia, NATO created two mechanisms that will help to expand their dialogue and collaboration with Russia and other Central and Eastern Europe or CEE states (MacArdle Kelleher, 1995, p. 23). The first one is the North Atlantic Cooperation Council in 1991 and the Partnership for Peace initiative in 1994 that involved a set of bilateral agreements on cooperation between the NATO and the most of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council or NACC states (MacArdle Kelleher, 1995, p. 23).
Transition of European Security Organizations
European security strategy focuses in building relationship with their neighbor countries. In order for them to do this, there are many organizations that have been established in order to focus on different areas and responsibilities of the security issues of the continent. The European Union focuses on its transitional security arm while the Western European Union of WEU; have set their goals and potential capabilities for the future realization of a common foreign and security policy (MacArdle Kelleher, 1995, p. 23).
European Union was created in order to centralize the security development of the continent (Consilium Europa, 2003, p. 2). It helped to strengthened the relationships between the different European states and transform the lives of the continent’s citizens (Consilium Europa, 2003, p. 2). European countries are committed in dealing in a more peaceful way with the disputes and to cooperating through common institutions (Consilium Europa, 2003, p. 2). It helped to spread the rule of law and democracy in a more progressive way and help to change the authoritarian regimes into more secure, stable and dynamic democracies (Consilium Europa, 2003, p. 2).
The most important move and strategy of this organization is the presentation of the clarified relationships between the EU and the NATO. This union was done by setting their rules and regulations in a more parallel living the direct competitive and contradictory policies (MacArdle Kelleher, 1995, p. 23). Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe or CSCE, developed their structures by converting it in a more permanent and by implementing a set of a more narrower and more focused missions using its traditional intergovernmental decision-making procedures (MacArdle Kelleher, 1995, p. 23).
All of this organization are working hard in order for the continent to extend the effort with NATO towards peace monitoring in Georgia and Bosnia and focuses on the protection of their citizen’s protection, political rights in the central European and the Baltic states (MacArdle Kelleher, 1995, p. 23).
Agency of Defense capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments (Patten, 2004, p. 2)
One of the security strategies of Europe that shows the attitude regarding security is the decision of the Council to create an Agency that will focus on the development of defense capabilities, research, acquisition and armaments in November 2003 (Patten, 2004, p. 2).
This agency will focus mainly in different entities, elements and events that can be a threat to the security of the continent: terrorism, the development rift, and enlargement.
Terrorism indeed is the most powerful security threat in any place, country and continent in the world. Terrorism can affect the overall performance of a country. It can even destroy different industries especially the hospitality and tourism industries. It can also destroy the economy of a certain countries because investors will no longer spend capitals or establish business due to security reasons. Terrorism has evolved from moderately and easily identifiable groups that are fighting for their political goals to a more amorphous organization, for example the Al-Qaeda that is embracing a confused multitude of causes and drawing on disparate resources (Patten, 2004, p. 2). The said agency depends on the groups of learned and professional scientist, technicians and specialist, as well as cutting-edge technologies that will help to protect the people.
European citizens quoted that, poor/rich countries imbalances is one of the threats that they fear the most. According to the survey of French Poll Institute IPSOS in November 2003, 49% of the respondents believe that a poor/rich imbalance is one of the threats that affect the serenity of the continent. Terrorism got 71% while Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction or WMD got 64% (cited in Patten, 2004, p.2). To prevent threat that will come from the anger and hatred that come with poverty, the country is focusing on improving support for their citizens that are in the level of deficiency.
In order to bring security challenges closer to the country’s footstep, the agency have helped to step up and fight against drugs, smuggling as well as help their neighbor countries to develop stable and prosperous partnership. All of these are done by reshaping on an unprecedented scale the external border of the continent.
Other Security Issues
Regional Conflicts can also affect the security issues of the continent. Violent or frozen conflicts can threaten the regional stability of the region. Conflict can lead to extremism, terrorism and state failure (Consilium n.d., p. 5). That is why the continent is focusing on tackling the often elusive new threats that deals with the older problem of the regional conflict (Consilium n.d., p. 5).
Conclusion
Security is the most important aspect of the policy of any county. It can affect the overall image and performance of a particular country in the market. Security can also affect the economy of a country and eventually create a domino effect in the economy of the world. Security is also the most important thing for any family in any country.
European Security has evolved since the day that the continent decided to ask the involvement of American in their security issues (Kay, 1998, p. 14). The involvement of the American during the postwar European security had become ever more important for the Europeans because of the instantaneous concern over the Soviet intentions in the east, the potential for a renewal of German nationalism and the incapability of Britain to maintain its traditional stabilizing authority on the continental balance of power (Kay, 1998, p. 14).
European security focuses greatly on the needs of international security. This will help them to prevent major terrorist devastation via the use of different kinds of destructive weapon such as bombs and different deadly gas. This reflects to the attitude of the world towards global security. Europe is well known for being peaceful and serene, that is why the government and other international organizations are doing their best in order to maintain the level of peacefulness.
European organizations are now working hard in order look at the different aspect of different European states that may be hit by security threat activities. The continent is also focusing on the poverty and disease control. Consilium Europa believes that poverty and disease causes untold suffering and eventually gives rise to the pressing security concerns (p. 3). There are 3 billion people in the world that is suffering from poverty, live on less than 2 Euros a day; there are over 45 million of people die every year because of hunger and malnutrition. Diseases like Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS, is one of the most devastating pandemics in the entire human history and helps to contribute to the breakdown of the society. New diseases can spread rapidly and become global security threat (Consilium Europa n.d., p.3). All of the said reasons and events can affect the overall security of the continent. That is why the European government is using different strategies that will compliment to the overall attitude towards the security.
Unlike before, the European government is focusing on their relationships with other continents and countries, offering help and aid for those countries that are suffering from different economic problem such as poverty and helplessness due to natural calamities. The country is no longer focusing only to the internal security of the continent but also give focus to the overall security of the world.
Due to different threat to the security issues of Europe, the continent has continued to improve their security strategy. They have pushed programs that will strengthen their International Atomic Energy Agency, that will measure and tighten the export controls and will deals with the illegal shipments and illicit procurement (Consilium Europa n.d., p. 5).
The Union also focuses in intervening to the issues of regional conflicts in order to prevent failed states. They included the Balkans and Afghanistan. It helped to foster democracy and enable the authorities to tackle organized crime in the EU (Consilium Europa n.d., p.7).
Globalization also helped Europe to organize and implement international law that will reflect and improve the overall security of the world.
Being united and acting as a team is the main advantage and edge of Europe in improving and enhancing their security policies and rule and helped them to be the most peaceful and happy continent in the world.
Bibliography
A Secure Europe in a Better World: European Security Strategy 2003, Consilium Europa, viewed 30 October 2007,
Kay, S 1998, NATO and the Future of European Security, Rowman & Littlefield
MacArdle, C 1995, The Future of European Security: An Interim Assessment, Bookings Institution.
Patten, C 2004, A Security Strategy for Europe, Oxford Journal on Good Governance Vol 1 No 1, Oxford Council on Good Governance, viewed 30 October 2007,
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