Norwegian Armed Forces and Norwegian Security Policy - Research Proposal Example

The Strategic Defense  Concept, “Evne til Innsats,” was released September 1, 2009. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to the Norwegian Defense Forces and thus create a symbiosis between political ends and military means. While the intent is superb, it remains to be seen if words will be followed by appropriate action. This paper will address only one means of the Norwegian security policy, the Norwegian Armed Forces. It will look into the contemporary state of the Norwegian Armed Forces, and examine if it is organized, equipped and trained in a manner that serves its primary purpose – to be one of the nation’s most effective tools in securing its vital interests.

Are the political ends, the means, the ways and the risks involved coherent,  as recommended by Harry S. Jarger ?; Accordingly, “…Ends, ways and means that lead to the achievement of the desired end state within acceptable bounds of feasibility, suitability, acceptability, and risk are valid strategies for considerations by the decision maker.” The entering assumption is that Norway faces a dilemma, much like many Western nations, when it comes to the composition of the military forces and how to invest in these forces to meet relevant challenges listed in the National Security Policy.

These initial thoughts lead to the central thesis question guiding this Strategic Research Paper (SRP); is the current and future organizational structure within the Norwegian Armed Forces aligned with Norwegian Security Policy? The intent here is to point out potential disconnects between the Norwegian Armed Forces and the current Norwegian Security Policy, and propose how to mitigate these disconnects.