On national security: A theoretical approach with a special emphasis on the German case

Abstract

-As an aspect of the national interest, national security aims to provide survivalwithout any sf;lrious thrf;lat to Vital values or interests. As the;l military power is notsufficient to achieve national security in modern times, the concept of strategy gets muchbroader than just the art of war. Thus, national strategy is said to be `the art and scienceof using political, economic, psychological, and military forces of a nation to securenational objectives.` During the formulation of the national strategy several stages existfrom the very bottom of the policy making process to the top level, where head of thestatf;l with thf;l eXf;lcutivf;l bran(lh is fOund For bf;ling an important COlUltty in EuropeGennan national strategy is examined with its national interests, national objectives andnational. policies. During thf;l Cold War German foreign policy constitutes policy ofresponsibility, civilian policy, parochial policy,. and multilateral approach. After theunification, Germany tries to modifY its national sti`attJgy (lon(ltJpts parallttl to the globalchange of bipolar world political system. While the prioIities of goals of German foreignandsf;l(lurity policy artJ of both European integration (as def;lpening and enlargement of theEuropean Union) and the development of stability in Eastern Europe, unified Germanywants to bf;l involved actively in inttJmational politi(ls as a nation-stattJ throughoutnonlla1ization. The main axioms of its security are still based on security tie with NATOand USA and special relationship with France; however the stabilization of CentralEurope becomes a very important issue for both Germany and Europe.