Topics Covered
- War, Causes of War, Types of War
- Strategic Culture: Determinants of Pakistani strategic culture
- Deterrence: theory and Practices With special reference to Nuclear India and Pakistan
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| File Photo: Pakistani SSG Commandoes |
- War, Causes of War, Types of War
§ War
is an organized effort by a government or other large organization to stop or
defeat something that is viewed dangerous or bad.
§
Substantial arms conflict between the organized
military forces of independent political units.
§
War excludes the domestic conflicts, and
considered as instrument of international politics and last resort to protect
national interest.
§ A
condition when there is no actual conflict but a permanent cold war that could
become a “real” war at any time – State of war.
§ Causes of the war: the level of
analysis concept can be used to explain why wars begin?
§ 1)
The individual level – theories about war center on rationality.
Such as realism says international conflict is normal and reflects rational
decision making of national leaders.
§ War
begins with conscious and reasoned decision based on calculation, made by both
parties, that they can achieve more by going to war than by remaining at peace.
§ 2)
The domestic level – Characteristics of states or societies make them more
or less prone to use violence in resolving conflict. Ex: Capitalist
states vs. Communist states.
§ Domestic
political factors, interests’ group, and legislature shape a state’s outlook on
war and peace.
§
3) The interstate level – analysis
explains power relations among major state actor’s in international relations
are causes of war.
§
Power transition theory suggest that when power
of two opposing states is in equilibrium (BOP) the conflicts are converted in
wars.
§
4) The global level – analysis, a number
of theories of war have been proposed.
§
Cycle theories, an effort to explain tendencies
towards war in international system as cyclical. Such as, Kondratieff
cycles is used to link wars with long waves in world economy.
§ Some
other useful approaches to find causes of war:
§ Descriptive
approaches, focus on specific direct causes of outbreak of the war such
as, assassination of Archdule Franz Ferdinand in 1914 “caused” world war –
I.
§ Theoretical
Approaches, search for general explanation about wars break out.
§ Statistical
Perspective, political scientist analyze data on types of war and
circumstance under which they occurred.
§ Types
of War:
§ Hegemonic
War, war for the control of the entire world order and rules of the international
system as a whole. Also called, world war, general war, or systemic war. Such
as, WW-II.
§ Total
War, the term was coined by German General Paul Von Ludendorff.
§ Warfare
by one state waged to conquer and occupy another state. The goal is to reach the
capital city and force the surrender of the government. Such as, Napoleonic war
on French national economy. Such as, WW-I.
§
All available resources of country are
completely mobilized to defeat enemy.
§ Limited
War, Actions carried out to gain some short objectives of the surrender and
occupation of enemy. Such as, US led war against Iraq 1991 retook the territory
of Kuwait but did not go to Baghdad to topple Sadam Hussain’s government.
§ Raids
are limited wars that consists single action. In 2007, Israeli warplanes bombed
a facility in Syria that believed to be nuclear research facility.
§ Decisive
or total victory is not an objective, said, Karl von Clausewitz (Book On War)
§ Korean
War, Vietnam War, NATO Bombing of Yugoslavia are example of limited war.
§ Asymmetric
Warfare, War between belligerents whose relative military power differs
significantly. Such as, American Revolution wars, hijackings and suicide
bombings by terrorists.
§
Why big nations lose small wars article by
Andrew J.R. Mack.
§ Civil
War, War between fractions with in a state trying to create, or prevent, a
new government for the entire state or some territorial part of it.
§ Such
as, US Civil war in 1860s.
§
In 1971, civil war in Pakistan resulted in
formation of Bangladesh
§ Guerrilla
War, Warfare without front lines and with irregular forces operating in the
midst of, and often hidden or protected by, civilian population.
§ The purpose is not to directly confront but rather to harass or punish it so as to gradually limits its operations and effectively liberate territory from its control. Such as, US fought Vietcong guerrillas in 1960s and 1970s.
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| Strategic culture determinants of Pakistani strategic culture |
- Strategic Culture: Determinants of Pakistani strategic culture
§ The
term Strategic culture has grown to become the integral part of the IR
since first being introduced by Jack Snyder in a 1977 research report on
Soviet and American nuclear strategies.
§ It
is “set of beliefs, attitudes and norms towards the use of military force,
often molded according to historical experience”. – Chappell (2009).
§
Colin S. Gray argues, “All strategic
behavior is affected by human who cannot help but be cultural agents”.
§
It is affected by national culture, national
political culture and the situational factors.
§
Pakistan’s strategic culture was
initially determined by hostile India during Kashmir war, in 1947-48 and
Afghan’s claim on Pakistan’s territory, when they opposed our admission to UNO
in 1947.
§
Feeling insecure we purchased small weapons and
equipment from Great Britain and other commonwealth countries.
§
Decided to join American alliance system to
overcome security problems.
§
Signed Mutual Defense Assistance Treaty with the
USA in May 1954.
§
Joined Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
(SEATO) in September 1954.
§
Signed Baghdad Pact (renamed as) the Central
Treaty Organization (CENTO) in Sept 1955.
§
Began to obtained weapons from China in 1965
after war with India.
§
Major strategic shift brought about by Z.A
Bhutto to nuclearize Pakistan in 1972.
§
Supported the USA in Soviet Afghan War in 1979.
§
To rectify strategic imbalances in South Asia
conducted nuclear explosion in May 1998.
§ Presently Indian and afghan factor, population, economy, health, terrorism are challenges faced by strategic culture of Pakistan.
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| Air based Deterrence |
- Deterrence: theory and Practices With special reference to Nuclear India and Pakistan
§ American
military strategist Bernard Brodie wrote book The Absolute weapon: Atomic
Power World order in 1946 and propounded term Deterrence.
§ Deterrence
is act of discouraging an action by creating fear – fear of punishment. Or,
§
Use of punishment as threat to deter people from
offending.
§ Nuclear
Deterrence Dissuasion of sate from embarking upon actions – harmful to
one’s vital security interest.
§ Nuclear
Deterrence theory strategic equilibrium preserves peace, maintains
stability, uncertainty decreases, the security dilemma diminishes, possibility
of war decreases and peace become possible.
§ Deterrence
is strategy of prevention it has three components: capability, the intention to
employ it, and the ability to communicate both capability and resolve.
§ Indian
Nuclear Deterrence India created deterrence in Asia by testing atomic bomb
in May 1974 (Smiling Buddha or Pokhran I) and May 1998 (Pokhran - II).
§ PM
Vajpayee said “we have announced our intention to maintain a minimum nuclear
deterrence….”
§ Indian
Nuclear Doctrine (IND) compiled and announced in Aug, 1999 to develop and
deploy nuclear weapons. It has three components: Normative posture (use for
peace and stability), minimum deterrence posture (to preserve greater India –
Gandhian and Nehruvian Philosophy), and No First Use (NFU) policy (Use only in
retaliation).
§ Pakistan
Nuclear Deterrence In response to Pokhran – II Pakistan on May 28th,
1998 tested Atomic Bomb (Chagi – I) to deter India against attacking Pakistan
and to maintain balance of power.
§
Since Pakistan tested its nuclear devices in May
1998, it has not formally declared an official nuclear use doctrine.
§
Pakistani maintain that ambiguity to serves
Pakistan’s interests better.
§
It can be derived from statements of our
officials.
§
Pakistan’s ambassador to conference on
disarmament (CD) promised “restraint weaponization” in June, 1998.
§
PM Nawaz Shareef in 20th May 1999
said, “nuclear restraint, stabilization and minimum credible deterrence
constitutes the basic elements of Pakistan’s nuclear policy.”
§
Parvez Musharraf in 2001-2 said, “we do not
want war. But is war is thrust upon us, we would respond with full might, and
give a befitting reply”.
§
So Pakistani deterrence constitutes: Credible
minimum deterrence, First use (FU), Massive retaliation, Reliable C4I system.
§ Presently, both Pakistan and the India are using land, air and sea-based deterrence.
