Analysis On Russian Military Strategy After 911 Terrorist Attack

Russia has undergone sweeping military reforms to regain itsmilitary prowess since the cold war. The successive issue of RussianFederation National Security Concept and Military Doctrine of RussianFederation in 2000 has provided the direction for Russian military powerdevelopment in the new century. After September 11 Terrorist Attack, theUnited States flagrantly launched Iraq War and, with its advanced guidedweapons and novel operational tactics, quickly routed Iraqi armies formedwith reference to establishment of Russian armed forces in the late stage. TheWar intensely shocked the Russian military circle, compelling the higher ranksto reconsider and reposition the existing military security strategy.一. Theoretical Component of Military Security StrategyFirst of all they adjust their understanding of international militarysecurity situation, abandoning their overoptimistic evaluation and realizing itscomplication. Prejudice since the "Cold War Era" has continued to exist. It isstressed that in the present international situation three threats are threateningsecurity of Russian federation: internal threats, external threats andcross-border threats.Secondly, they put right their judge on the military threats. Russian newmilitary strategy has definitely pointed out: "Russia will not treat any nationor national alliance as foes." According to Russian military and politicalleadership, the biggest military threat is not merely coming from NATO, butfrom the potential regional conflicts bordering Russia. The national interestshould come first. Whoever threatens Russian national interest is foes forRussians.Thirdly, they reconsider the root of modern wars. According to them, theleading risky roots of modern wars are as follows: some nations or nationalalliance that seek for dominant position in the international community orregions, or those who try to settle conflicts via military means;a few nationswith favorable military posture (military alliance-NATO) that possesstremendous military power and station arms in the border of Russia;strengthened military power of some nations, which has led to instability ofmilitary and political situation;world-wide spread of nuclear weapons andsome other cosmically devastating weapons;diffusion of global terrorism andthe like.Fourthly, they adjust the attitude towards future wars. According toRussian military, global nuclear war will not occur in the following 10-15years, and conventional wars will also be reducing, while local wars andarmed conflicts tend to uplift. Russia will switch their training focus fromanti-nuclear wars to fighting against prospective local invasion.Fifthly, they make alteration to warfare policy. According to Russianmilitary, what military tactics are to be taken at the outbreak of war dependson specific situations at the time. The arms should take defence actions andlaunch offensives as well. It is mistake to attach importance to defence or tooffensive. Russian army should make full preparations for any sort of militaryactions. Following American "taking the preemptive measures" militarystrategy, Russian military theory stresses that Russia can take the preemptivemeasures, in regional wars, local wars or armed conflicts, to carry outstrategically nuclear attack in the case of Russian suffering from seriouscasualties or wars being likely to escalate.Sixthly, the principle of constructing quality army is emphasized. Inorder to fulfill the balanced development of land force, navy and air force,Russia sets its target at "building up a concentrated, highly disciplined, highlyprofessional, prompt, flexible army which is compatible with nationaleconomical power, qualified in national defence and prevention of armedconflict." The organization of army should be further optimized by activelyprofessionalizing the armed force and replacing the present compulsorymilitary service with contract military service.二. Practical Component of Military Security StrategyFirst, it is imperative to speed up developing new-generation nuclearweapons to insure nuclear strategy of "deterrence". The President Putinclearly indicates that nuclear weapons are the guarantee of Russian security inthe past, at present and in the future. Russian nuclear deterrent of strategicmissile army will greatly uplift with the army armed with Russian Topol-MICBM, Bulava Sea-launched Intercontinental Missile and other strategic andtactical guided missles. On the other hand, Russian will highlight the means of"conventional deterrence." Nuclear deterrence cannot always prevent localwars or armed conflicts. The strategy of deterrence will fall through withoutvalid conventional deterrence.Second, more capital should be invested in weaponry. It is necessary toactively develop new-concept weapons having the development in spaceweapon system as a breach, to enforce information construction of Russianarmy and speed up the construction progress of weapon modernization.Third, it is advised to increase military maneuver, and thus to improvethe military operational skills. The Russian headquarters military maneuver"Security-2004" in early 2004 is the first large-scaled strategic maneuver inthe past 20 years. In the Far-east military strategic maneuver "Orient-2005",the troops contain over 5000 persons. Russia intends to show to the world itsstrategic deterrent and its determination to use its military power.Fourth, it is needed to strength the integrated military force of theCommonwealth of Independent States and to enforce its militarycommunication with the adjacent powers. Within the framework of CISCollective Security Treaty Organization and Shanghai CooperationOrganization, Russia builds closer military security relations with the othernations, mainly by providing military aid, joint military maneuver, assisting inanti-terrorism and other means, the focus on promoting the establishment ofCIS joint system of air defence with the Russia-Belarus Union as the core.三. Analysis of Military Security from Historical PerspectiveRelations between Russian military security and geographic security.Russian traditional concept on security is closely related to its geographicenvironment, which has formed its characteristic geographic security concept."It is hard to find a better example than Russia to prove a wisdom:geography-the fate of a country. Spanning Europe and Asia, the geographicposition of Russia imposes significant influence on Russian geopoliticalevolvement, its internal development and foreign policy," said Arbotof, aRussian scholar.Impact of Salvation of Orthodox Church on Russian military security.The Orthodox Church is originated from Christianity, whose doctrine is tosave the whole humanity religion. Salvation is the core concept of all theChristian churches. The Orthodox Church completely takes in the concept andfurther develops it. Russians hold that it is them who prevent the orientaluncivilized nationalities from invading Europe, thus saving the whole Europeand even the whole world. In their opinion, Russians is a special nationalityand is born to save humanity. Russians is the only savior. For hundreds ofyears, Russians keep expanding and invading, holding geographic securityconcept and the ideology of Salvation in their mind. Their territory hasexpanded hundreds of times. The prime period of Russia is usually the ageswhen Russia has the most powerful military force and seizes the most territoryfrom other countries.四. Evaluation of Trend of Military Security StrategyRussian military security strategy is a comprehensive systeminvolving many aspects, but mainly depends on its national power. The vastterritory, rich resources and abundant materials, all these are the material basison which Russia regains its power. To build up a strong armed force hasbecome the mainstream of the popular will. With the national economybettered, military construction will also speed up. The basic posture in thefuture Russian-American relations will be to seek for cooperation in fight andpursue interest in cooperation, while fighting against the West, in particularthe United States has become a page of history. It will also be the basicprinciple Russia has to follow in international strategy. To sum up, somepractical difficulties still exist in the process of fulfilling Russian strategictarget, despite quite a few favorable conditions. Therefore, the road will not besmooth and flat to the fulfillment of Russian military security target.