Asutralias Strategic Alignment

Explain why you agree or disagree with Colin Gray’s assertion that ‘…in the Western world today the consideration and employment of the military instrument is beset with historically unprecedented cultural, political, and legal constraints…’

“Those who want to understand clearly the events which happened in the past and which (human nature being what it is) will at some time or other and in much the same ways be repeated in the future”

Thucydides

The aim of this essay is to demonstrate that the Western world is beset with significant historical precedence which shapes the consideration and employment of the military instrument in today’s

Western society. I will achieve this by firstly detailing what the military instrument is and it’s role and how the origin of the military shapes how it is employed. I will then step through the cultural, political and legal constraints demonstrating in each case that the historical precedence has shaped the consideration and employment of the military instrument. This essay will inextricably demonstrate that historical precedence is the areas of culture, policy and law and significant factors in the use of the military within the Western world.

The military instrument. The military instrument is a unique capability that is used differently throughout the world. Within the Western world the military is a political tool used to enforce the policy of the government through strategic employment of the military along with other Governmental and non Governmental agencies (NGO). This differs to that of some other non western nations where the use of the military can be used for other means such as a regime controlling mechanism (Libya), traditional policing role (Timor Leste) or purely self defence focused (Japan).

Within the western world, there is a difference in employment of militaries depending on the origin and circumstance of the state. QUOTE.

* Difference in view of a western military versus...