STRATEGIES XXI - Security and Defense Faculty

Proceedings of the 17th International Scientific Conference "Strategies XXI" - Strategic Changes in Security and International Relations

Daniel GHIBA, Lucian POPESCU, Cosmin OLARIU, Adi MUSTATA — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Strategies XXI has reached its 17th edition in 2021. Over the years, we have seen topics such as the economic crisis, jihadist terrorism, the wave of immigration or Russia's intervention in Crimea temporarily take over the international public consciousness. In the ever changing flow of events what remained constant has been our determination to serve as an international forum for analysis and debate of major international relations, security, and defense challenges.

The present volume hosts the papers presented in the conference organized on 15-16th of April by the Security and Defence Faculty of “Carol” I National Defence University in Bucharest. Held in a virtual format, the Conference brought together 100+ participants from 9 countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, and Turkey) who throughout the 2 days of the event delivered keynote speeches or presented papers. This year we were honoured to have among us Mr. Carol Teodor Peterfi (Nobel Prize Laureate with the OPCW) and Mr. Dirk Dubois (Head of the European Security and Defence College).

THE KUHNIAN NOTION OF PARADIGM IN THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DEBATE

Hristina Dobreva — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0300

The paper reviews some of the major IR scholars and how they view the applicability of Kuhn’s notion of paradigm in the case of the third IR debate. The starting point is Laipd’s idea of positivism versus post-positivism. I argue that pessimism and optimism are interrelated in the debate. Also, for the future, if the IR scientific community wants to contribute to real problem solution, it should not restrict to the narrow notion of Kuhn’s paradigm. However, there should be some loose sense of a paradigm as a cumulation of lessons learned. The grand theorizing or bridge-building should be replaced by the idea of lots of “doors” or many mediators linking only certain issues in different approaches. If there is only one bridge, this will not adequately reflect the emerging stage of proliferation of pluralism in the field. The pragmatic tendency is towards eclecticism of the approaches. Elements are interrelated and the border between positivism and relativism is moving.

REALISM, LIBERALISM AND CONSTRUCTIVISM IN THE PURSUIT OF SECURITY

Lavinia-Maria Savu — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0300

Security is one of the most used and disputed concepts in the field of International Relations. Achieving security has always concerned the world, from those who hunted to ensure their food security, to those who started wars in the name of self-determination. The spotlight highlighted security, especially after the two World Wars, which led to a reconfiguration of the world. The institutionalization of the field of International Relations favored the emergence of different paradigms that aimed to identify and explain the causes of the war and to develop strategies to ensure this good. The purpose of this article is to analyze three of the best-known theories – realism, liberalism and constructivism – and to highlight the methods identified in order to achieve security. The approach will be predominantly descriptive.

THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN SECURITY BEFORE THE 1994 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT. INQUIRY INTO ITS EVOLUTION DURING THE COLD WAR

Alexandru LUCINESCU — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0300

It is usually considered that the concept of human security was introduced by the United Nations Development Programme with the publication in 1994 of the Human Development Report. Such a perspective on the emergence of this concept denies its existence during the Cold War and places its point of origin in the aftermath of that confrontation. However, there is also the opinion that human security was a term used during the Cold War, but that the meaning then attached to it lacks any relevancy for the meaning it has in the 1994 Human Development Report. This article contributes to the assessment of the viability of these different opinions by first exploring the use of the concept of human security by Niels Bohr in an open letter from 1950, and by Sithu U Thant, in a statement made in 1971, and secondly by comparing the meaning they gave to it with its meaning from the 1994 Human Development Report. It is concluded that both Bohr and U Thant operated with a concept of human security narrower in scope than the concept of human security which is to be found in the 1994 Human Development Report and, based on this finding, that the evolution of this concept started long before 1994.

THEORIES OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND THEIR APPROACH TO SECURITY ISSUES

Ján Marek, Pavel Bučka — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0300

In the 21st century, security is being discussed very often and extensively throughout the world it is one of the highest values in the life of all mankind and in the personal life of every human being. Although there are great historical, cultural and political differences between continents or even between regions we can say that humanity as a whole has experienced many historical stages characterized by concern for safety or even survival was at the top of the imaginary scale of values. Opposite that period of calm and reduced concerns about the security of states or even the whole world used to be, unfortunately, rarer and also shorter. Opinions on security have undergone a rich historical development, which has resulted in a number of established concepts that are commonly used in discussions on this topic. It follows that in the study of international security relations, it is essential that we use the most important terms and at the same time show that the meaning and content of these terms are often explained from different angles. It is therefore very important to examine the various theories of international relations and their approach to security issues.

THE SECURITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN CRISIS

Svetlana Cebotari, Mădălina Balan — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0300

The crisis in Ukraine in early 2014 marked a turning point in the history of international relations. A number of specialists in the field of political science have sought to explain the reasons for the occurrence of such events in the 21st century and what implications they may have for the global security system, especially in the regional one. This article analyzes the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis on the security of the Republic of Moldova.

THE INFLUENCE OF COVID-19 IN THE DANGER THAT POPULISM BRINGS TO THE SECURITY ENVIRONMENT

Dorin Alin Gal — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0300

Populism has become, for quite some time now, a specter of democracy that threatens the structure of security wherever it shows up in situations that thoroughly fight democracy’s fundamental values. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed what citizens think and the expectations that they have from those in power, so populism has also been affected through the relationship that it has with the people’s level of satisfaction. This process requires a thorough analysis due to the threats that can appear from such leaders in a world that is still trying to find itself.

THE “HIDDEN“ ROLE OF THE STATE IN DIFFERENT APPROACHES ON COMPETITIVENESS (THEORETICAL COMPARISON)

Hristina Dobreva — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0300

From the perspective of political science the paper is a comparative overview of some of the main approaches on competitiveness. The focus is on their strengths and weaknesses in the explanation of the role of the government. Yet the paper compares some of the more recent authors as Porter, Reich, Thurow, Ohmae and Strange. The implication is that government intervention is still needed to provide both sustainable competitiveness (Strange) (modesty as opposed to resource depletion) and social adjustment (jobs) to innovation in the long-term dynamic picture (Porter) because government is still at the basis of the welfare pyramid (Thurow). I start with the authors’ assumptions and proceed with their view on the role of the government to conclude that this role is underestimated in the social and overestimated in the business sphere.

AL QAEDA AND HYPERTERRORISM – THE SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCE OF BINLADENISM AT GLOBAL LEVEL

Lucian Buciu — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0300

September 11, 2001 can be interpreted as a t₀ (zero time) for the studies on terrorism, because that was the moment when the shift from classical terrorism to hyperterrorism occurred. The emergence of hyperterrorism at global level via Al Qaeda was successful owing to very well defined strategies and tactics, which were put into practice under Osama bin Laden's coordination. The in-depth knowledge of the strategies and tactics of a complex enemy, who practices Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, constitutes a starting point in elaborating antiterrorist strategies adapted to the dynamism of the international security environment.

RUSSIAN ELECTRONIC WARFARE CAPABILITIES AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR EUROPEAN STRATEGIC STABILITY: A CASE STUDY OF THE SYRIAN CONFLICT

Cristina Marzal, Guillem Colom-Piella — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The Russian intervention in Syria, as well as the associated deployment of electronic warfare systems, generated alarm among NATO members linked to the possibility that a strengthening of electronic warfare capabilities by Russia could reduce the current technological asymmetry in favor of NATO. Such reduction would come from the use of electronic warfare systems to hamper the command and control capacity of attack and defense systems. This paper analyses the Russian intervention in Syria in order to define whether it can be understood that there is an increasing risk to Euro-Atlantic security stemming from Russian advances in electronic warfare.

ENHANCEMENT OF THE NATIONAL DEFENCE POSTURE BY USING MILITARY POWER

Gigel Pușcașu, Dorin Eparu — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The development of a national defence enhanced posture is a fundamental requirement in line with the developments of the current and possible future security environment, as well as regards the commitments made at North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and European Union (EU) level in relation with the development of capabilities and contributions to missions and operations. Romanian Army prepares, integrates at national level and, if necessary, makes use, in accordance with the law, of all available resources. While peacekeeping or peace-building operations are presented in the various defence and national security strategies as the last resort, the last option after all other measures have been actively explored, it remains in the eyes of public opinion and policy makers the first face of the armed forces, the heart of the profession of soldier. The conventional deterrence has always existed – if vis pacem para bellum. Two main mechanisms can discourage a potential opponent. The first is the threat of retaliation, also known as deterrence by punishment. The second mechanism consists in persuading him of the impossibility, or at least of great practical difficulty, of achieving his immediate objectives, thus prompting him to give up not for fear of the consequences of his action, but due to his low chances of success. The guarantee of sovereignty, independence and state unity, the territorial integrity of the country and constitutional democracy is the most fundamental task of the armed forces. It is, after all, the primary role of defending the land of the homeland when it is threatened. The most obvious expression of that is the concept of ensuring the capacity to implement defence plans drawn up at national level.

US-CHINA COMPLEXITY: DEFINING THE POST-COVID-19 PANDEMIC WORLD

Iulian Chifu — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The US-China relation becomes the most important part of the international new post-pandemic order related to the evolution of the world order after the Covid-19. We are talking about the most important economies of the world, giving 25% and 23.5% of the world GDP, economies and countries involved in a number of strategic rivalries as well as of harsh competitions, with a lot of newly come instruments that do not benefit of any international regime, rules and norms – cyber, a.i., quantum computers, space, Arctic region etc. In the absence of a dominant power able to impose the respect of a rules based world and to project its power in order to forge the new rules and norms in the field of new technologies, the US needs a real multilateralism and a conjunction of the democratic powers in order to acquire altogether the needed preeminence in order to get those rules and norms approved at the level of global institutions, if it is not for a smooth bilateral relation with China which could agree a number of such provisions and try to negotiate for including its own interest.

COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATION OF POWER INSTRUMENTS AND CIVIL-MILITARY CAPABILITIES FOR COUNTERING HYBRID THREATS

Aurelian Rațiu, Paul Tudorache — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Given the future military confrontations characterized by an increased degree of complexity, multidimensionality and ambiguity, the article aims to raise awareness of the need, and also to develop effective mechanisms for a comprehensive and integrated approach to capabilities and effects of the actions of all power instruments, military and civilian, governmental and non-governmental, national and international, in countering the consequences of hybrid threats.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTELLIGENCE SERVICES IN THE CONTEXT OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND INFORMATION OVERLOAD

Robert Călinoiu — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Intelligence has been one of the first professions in the World existence, due to the human nature of permanent desire of progress and possession. Its evolution has been marked by various developments, out of which technology seems to have the greatest impact. While advanced technology has made the overall cycle of life faster and better, it has also diversified the challenges to many professions, intelligence being one of them. Adapting to the ever evolving realities, intelligence has to transform the challenges in opportunities and advance the national interests of security at national and international levels.

ASYMMETRIC OPERATIONS OF THE HOSTILE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICES ON THE ALLIED STATES TERRITORIES

Robert Călinoiu, Dănuț Chiriac — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Globalization and technological developments brought to societies huge benefits, but also new security challenges. State or private entities, having access to new, advanced technologies, and benefiting of the rapid and free movement, developed methods and strategies to harm their perceived enemies. National security, considered alone or in conjunction with those of the allied states or within the security organizations is challenged lately by hostile acts performed by various entities, aimed at weakening societies, value systems, beliefs or even the simply well-being of the citizens. Intelligence services, as part of the national / organizational security systems are called to discover, perform early warning, monitor, and counter such aggressive actions, even if a clearly attribution of the perpetrator is difficult. Our endeavour is to draw a picture of the current preoccupations in the field, presenting also three cases where the uncertainty of the transgressors has been eliminated without any shadow of doubt.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION PROCESS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

Alin Preda, Dănuț Chiriac — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Information is a very valuable weapon, with its help you can manipulate, you can change behaviors and actions. Also the Internet makes the process of communication at the mass level amplifies the speed dissemination, which further accentuates the influence. Since 2015, the EU has worked actively to reduce the impact of disinformation. The European Parliament has consistently pushed for adequate staff and adequate resources for the task force. This resulted in the formation of a team called the East StratCom Team. This team has developed, in cooperation with the EU institutions and the Member States, the Action Plan. The creation of the East StratCom working group was aimed at countering Russian disinformation. At the same time, another StratCom interinstitutional working group was created, which aimed to address the phenomenon of radicalization in the Arab world using public diplomacy and communications. In this article we aim to analyze how the implementation of the Action Plan is working in the EU and witch are the results since 2015 till now. Also we analyze the pandemic and its role in the accessibility of measures to combat fake news and how EU took action to combat COVID-19 disinformation. Although the East StratCom working group has taken important steps and the sites to combat fake news and the Code of Practice have also brought quantifiable results on this front, the EU is still failing to combat Russian misinformation and propaganda. As a general conclusion, we believe that the European Union has shown through the steps initiated that it knows what needs to be done to implement and use strategic communication effectively, but, to date, it has been limited in finding an effective solution.

LANDMARKS OF RUSSIA’S USE OF INFORMATION WARFARE

Alina Prelipcean, Andrei Albert — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Russian Information warfare represents an extended concept that covers a wider and more diverse range of actions when compared to NATO's approach on information operations. Russian techniques, tactics and procedures in the field of information warfare do not differ much from those used in the Soviet period but are adapted to the new technological achievements. The specific means of use the information warfare are acquired by the future politico-military leaders of the Russian state starting with their preparation period at an age of accumulation. On short and medium term, it is likely that Moscow’s activities specific to the information warfare will increase being favored by the limitations imposed by the Covid 19 pandemic.

IMPLEMENTING THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT IN LIBYA

Ciprian Buzatu — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The last decade of the XX^thcentury was marked by three major humanitarian crises, in Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. The international community adopted different approaches to these situations, but they all had in common a sense of failure. Today, we see that such catastrophic situations continue to exist in places like Yemen or Syria, where civlian populations face atrocity crimes. These are just two examples of ongoing humanitarian crises and we have to keep in mind to there is an imminent risk for the escalation of disastrous conflicts in countries such as Ethiopia or Myanmar. By 2005, the United Nations adopted a comprehensive tool for avoiding and approaching situations where the lives of civilians are in peril, namely, the responsibility to protect. The analysis of its use in Libya, having NATO as a main actor, will reveal the reasons this tool is not as effective as the world hoped in the moment of its creation, and, hopefully, will contribute to an enhanced understanding of the responsibility to protect.

NATO’S ENCOUNTERS IN THE CYBER DOMAIN

Dragoș-Mihai Păunescu — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Last two decades technological advances in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, telecommunications or space assets, brought new threats for the international security and have fundamentally changed the nature of warfare. Coercive cyber aggressions between opponents have enough potential to affect the digital economy and national security services without escalate into traditional conflicts. Cyber threats to Western security organizations are becoming more frequent, complex, and destructive. NATO’s strategic competitors such as Russia and China seek to shape cyberspace through state action in order to gain an asymmetric military advantage. By adapting its posture in the cyber domain, refining doctrine and developing new capabilities, NATO aims to deter cyber aggressions against its interest and to coordinate better the defense of its member states.

EUROPEAN COMMON DEFENCE A NEW CHALLENGE FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION

Florin Tudorache — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The efforts for peace at the end of the Second World War were based on the belief that only through "European unification" was there hope for an end to a chapter in Europe's recent history of war, bloodshed and destruction. The supreme objectives of safeguarding peace, but also of economic unification, contained in the Constitutive Treaties of the European Communities were impregnated with the fundamental intention of ensuring peace. The Treaties that gave birth to the European Communities and the Union confirm that the goal of peace has succeeded, and that a violent confrontation between Member States is currently unlikely. On the other hand, the conflicts that have affected the former Yugoslavia have shown that peace and democracy in Europe are not as obvious as they seemed. The Yugoslav crisis has also shown that it is vital to act in support of peace beyond the borders of the conflict-free zone within the European Union. The paper aims to analyze the evolution of the concept of common European defence, in order to identify features and trends of the European security environment that can provide an image of the future options of the European Union in the field of defence.

SYRIA – “THE WAR WITH MULTIPLE PROXIES”. VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Daniela Vetina Ene — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The civil war in Syria, triggered by the pro-democracy demonstrations of the "Arab Spring", was a complicated combination of religious, cultural and ethnic-identity contradictions. The non-international conflict was turned into a "battlefield" for foreign powers, which led to the transformation of a civil war into a "war with multiple proxies". The United Nations' efforts to mediate the conflict, based on a six-point plan, remained in the draft phase. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have denounced flagrant violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the al-Assad regime, which has widely used non-discriminatory weapons banned in violation of the Geneva Conventions, 1949. The Bashār al-Assad regime is accused by the international community of being guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, but attempts to incriminate it have failed.

INTRODUCTORY STUDY ON THE INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW APPLICABLE TO ARMED CONFLICTS AT SEA

Ana Savu — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The purpose of the international humanitarian law applicable to armed conflicts at sea is the same as the International Humanitarian Law relevant to land conflicts: to reduce the destructive consequences of the armed conflict to a minimum, to protect the civilians and other non-combatants, as well as the civilian and cultural objects, to ensure a minimal consideration of some fundamental human rights and to limit the means and methods of warfare in accordance with the four customary cardinal principles, as considered by the International Court of Justice in its advisory opinion on the Legality of the Use of Nuclear Weapons: the principles of humanity, distinction, proportionality and military necessity. Without any pretense of being an exhaustive study on the subject, the purpose of this article is to offer introductory insight into the international law of naval warfare.

MEDIATION – A KEY INSTRUMENT IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE FOR THE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF POSSIBLE CONFLICTS IN THE FUTURE

Elena Simion — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The role of mediation, in the current context of the security environment, involves the implementation of mediation techniques aimed at an integrated operational and efficient approach, depending on the development level and the requirements of the society, adapting the regulations of the mediation field, in accordance with the local specificities of each state, based on the broad consensus of the society.

GENERALS DE GAULLE, DUMITRESCU AND HERUVIM, GRADUATES OF SAINT-CYR

Gabriel Ion Degeratu — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

A very important Romanian historical event took place on 14 May 1968 when General Charles de Gaulle, the president of The French Fifth Republic, visited Bucharest, an initiative stemming from this visionary head of state’s idea of a unified Europe stretching “from the Atlantic to the Urals’. Have you heard of Romanian generals Polihron Dumitrescu and Ioan Heruvim? Charles de Gaulle’s visit proved quite difficult to manage for the communist regime, one of the difficulties being the French general’s meeting with these two generals, former classmates from the Special Military School of Saint-Cyr. His itinerary included the cities of Craiova and Târgoviște because of these expectedly emotional meetings with Dumitrescu and Heruvim, the former having been de Gaulle’s class president, and the latter one of its most brilliant students, and the city of Cetatea Băniei where the French general performed an official military salute.

THE BATTLE OF MĂRĂȘEȘTI. THE STORY OF A MAUSOLEUM

Luminița Elena Vasiliu — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Located in the “fire triangle” Mărăști, Mărășești, Oituz, the battle of Mărășești represents the most important battle of the first World War on the Romanian front. The battle from Mărășești, which lasted 29 days (24 July/6 August to 21 August/3 September 1917), stands for an important page of military history, being dubbed the ‘‘Romanian Verdune’’. The Romanian army, although exceeded both in number and in the first technical means of fighting, managed, by tactics and by galvanizing the soldiers, to frustrate the offensive plans of the “frontier breaker”, Anton Ludwig August von Mackensen. Right on the ground where the battle had taken place, the Mausoleum of the First World War Heroes was built. The remains of over 5,000 soldiers and officers are buried there. This paper aims to bring back to the image of today's generation the brilliant victory of the Romananian army.

MILITARY MOBILITY IN THE EUROPEAN THEATRE

Dragoș-Mihai Păunescu — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

To ensure its defense and deterrence posture, NATO has to prove the ability to quickly deploy, reinforce and sustain its forces across the entire SACEUR Area of Responsibility. To ensure the end-state of free deployment of forces across Europe, the Alliance identified the need to abolish legal and administrative barriers and to improve the infrastructure status and transportations capacity. Both NATO and the European Union recognized the military mobility deficiencies as a strategic vulnerability for Europe in case of a peer-to-peer conflict scenario.

A COMPARATIVE VIEW ON SECURITY CULTURE AS REFLECTED IN ROMANIA’S NATIONAL DEFENSE STRATEGIES

Ruxandra Buluc — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The present paper aims at analyzing the concept of security culture by, firstly, pinpointing its theoretical underpinnings and, secondly, by undertaking a qualitative thematic analysis of the concept as it is presented in Romania’s National Defense Strategies from the last decade. The objective is to examine to what extent the evolutions in the security environment are mirrored in the understanding of the concept at strategic level and in the objectives and actions proposed for the implementation of security culture at societal level.

PROMOTING GENDER AWARNESS – EFFECTS ON NATO’S STRATEGIC SECURITY

Adina- Ioana CIOBANU — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

As the terrorist threat and the race for power continues, the most successful alliance is still facing undoubtable risks in its endeavor of maintaining stability – economically, political and most of all, socially. This paper intends to address the gender awareness phenomenon and study its effects on redesigning NATO’s security strategy architecture and reshaping the international relations among political actors. Furthermore, as the NATO 2030 analysis identified several risks and shortcomings of the alliance it is believed that strategically using the Women, Peace and Security Agenda can mitigate and favorably exploit these ‘loose ends’.

LINGUISTIC POLICY AND THE SECURING OF NATIONAL IDENTITY IN TODAY’S SOCIETY. THE UKRAINIAN CASE

Ecaterina HLIHOR — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Our study takes into consideration the consequences of the linguistic legislation adopted by Kiev in recent years in order to secure the identity of the existing national minorities. It also tackles the potential conflicts between the Ukraine and its neighbouring states with regard to the observing of the cultural rights of the minority groups. The issue of the use of regional languages fits into the category of the highly ideological and politicized matters in the Ukraine.

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY DURING CRISES AND CONFLICTS: THE COVID-19 CHALLENGE

Ecaterina HLIHOR — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The spectacular evolution in communication technology, and not only, enabled the world to achieve today a high degree of interconnectivity and interdependence that would have been hard to fathom only a couple of decades ago. The economic, political and, alas, health crises swiftly cross political, cultural and religious borders and yield consequences not only where they appear. This phenomenon forces national institutions and international organizations to communicate with the public opinion at a transnational level, a process also achieved through public diplomacy. The present article suggests a framework of action in which public diplomacy may be used as an instrument of communication in the case of crisis provoked by the Covid-19 pandemic. The current period of time is seen as a critical moment, a crisis that can permanently shatter institutions and societies. There are considerable dangers beyond the impact of the pandemic on people’s lives, ranging from an economic crisis that might prove more serious than the one in 2008/9, to an accentuated crisis of democracy and geopolitical changes, while public diplomacy could mitigate or eliminate these possible evolutions.

DIRECTIONS OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE OF THE ROMANIAN MILITARY PERSONNEL PARTICIPATING IN STABILITY AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS

Polixenia OLAR — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The identification and choice of directions for the development of intercultural communication competence of the Romanian military personnel participating in stability and support operations abroad can be approached starting from different criteria.

In our opinion, they refer to: components of intercultural communication competence; the different explanatory models of the intercultural communication competence; the sociological model of intercultural communication competence.

DIGITAL DIPLOMACY APPROACHED AS A SUBTYPE OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Andreia - Mariana POP — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

As a subtype of new Public Diplomacy, Digital Diplomacy is considered one of the major trends of the twenty-first century in diplomatic communication and during the Covid-19 pandemic this aspect was reiterated. The importance of Digital Diplomacy is based on the usage of communication technologies, the internet and social media, which at the same time represent its base, for the strengthening of the diplomatic relations. Covid-19 has disrupted almost every aspect of life and diplomacy is no exception. Today, Digital Diplomacy has become a standard practice and we have to mention that it doesn`t replace the traditional diplomacy, but complements it. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, for international actors was clear how important the exploitation of Digital Diplomacy benefits is.

SOCIAL MEDIA IN INFORMATION WARFARE. ASSAULT WEAPON WITH HIGH RECOIL

Alin PREDA — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Beyond the benefits or risks of individual or institutional communication through social media, we must note that it is the perfect environment for fake news and propaganda because of the speed of information propagation, the unfriendly environment for checking sources, algorithms behind social networks and, last but not least, the extremely low cost. In other words, the Internet and web 2.0 have created the favorable framework for the conduct of the war "for minds and hearts", as it can be called the information war waged through social media. Beyond these considerations, the non-regulation of the online domain - the lack of rules, be they deontological, make social media a powerful weapon of attack in this type of war. At the same time, the use of this space by state actors should be done with caution because it involves risks that could result in the loss of the most important action capacity: credibility. This article aims to analyze social media as a tool in information warfare

DISINFORMATION SOUNDS LIKE A THERAPEUTIC STORY – AND THAT’S WHY IT’S WORKING

Ciprian PRIPOAE-ȘERBĂNESCU — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

This past year has shown that the sanitary risks of SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic are equally matched, if not exceeded on long run, by infodemia effects. Disinformation, fake-news are widely considered an existential threat to open, democratic societies, straining the limits of institutions to cope with socio-political tensions. As such, acknowledging the significance of this phenomenon, this paper address the phenomenon of disinformation, challenging the prevalent current paradigm based on cognitive, linguistic approach, by offering a new perspective grounded on the role of fictional stories for individual and collective sense making. We advance a new interpretation upon the mechanisms behind disinformation consumption using the role of an immature ego structure, thus explaining the demanding side of disinformation. The utility of this new interpretation ranges from the reconsideration of mental irrationality in sense-making, or proposal of new tools for recognizing those predispose to consume disinformation, to a more comprehensive approach to strategic communication.

PURPOSE OF USING CUBESAT SATELLITE TECHNOLOGIES IN THE MILITARY DOMAIN

Danuț TURCU , Gheorghe Adrian STAN — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The increasing usage of space capabilities in the military domain highly requires the development of Nanosatellite polar constellations. In this paper we will analyze the main features of small satellites constellations that could be useful in military purposes. The Nanosatellite or CubeSat technology aim at miniaturization, high modularity and software defined payload, allowing the functionality of entire military space applications and services portfolio, at major low financial costs, translating its scalability and flexibility into a capability. In addition, the efficient combination between low latency and high throughput bandwidth, integrated in federated mega-constellation architectures, transforms CubeSat satellite networks into resilient platforms for development of advanced technologies (5G, IoT), according with the military requirements standards.

DATABASE – WEB INTERFACE VULNERABILITIES

Dorin IORDACHE — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

The importance of information security in general, of managed information at the level of a database has increased with the expansion of the Internet. On the other hand, it has acquired new facets with the increase of the accessibility of the users to as many resources as possible. Large volume of private data in use and the limitation of unauthorized actions to information have brought new aspects to the issue of ensuring their protection. The scope of this field is wide and allows the operation in several directions: identification, description, creation, implementation and testing of mechanisms aimed at improving the working environment in which database management systems operates. Due to the importance of the information managed by a DBMS^[1], it is necessary to define a framework safe and easy to use. The database fulfills not only the role of storage, but also of data provider to users. Thus, the information must be protected throughout the interaction process: generation, storage, processing, modification, deletion, etc. Therefore, the security of databases must not only be reduced to the protection of certain data considered sensitive, but also to the creation of a secure, authorized and controlled global environment through which information becomes available to users.

[1] DBMS – DataBase Management System

INTERNET OF THINGS SECURITY FRAMEWORK

Dorin IORDACHE — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

It was unimaginable for a non-professional user that access data to personal e-mail, bank or identity accounts could be stolen via a mobile phone interface or connection, no more than twenty years ago. Nowadays, people with bad intentions – hacker – can use smart devices, such as: webcams, microwaves, refrigerators, door controllers, and others, generically we named it IoT^[1], to access accounts like the ones mentioned above, without much effort. The Internet of Things is the place where devices are digitally interconnected, interacts with almost every domain. IoT development is closely correlated with growing of Internet. These issues have generated an unprecedented upward trend in Wi-Fi and IoT interconnecting networks. Cyber-security has gained new meanings because of the increasing number and scope of IoT devices. By developing these devices, especially among regular users, it is necessary to improve their security more than ever. How prepared are regular users and how can they protect themselves in the context of IoT penetration into their daily lives? it is a question that needs to be answered, in terms of the actions it can take immediately or in the long run.

[1] IoT - Internet of Things

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN HYBRID WARFARE: A LITERATURE REVIEW AND CLASSIFICATION

Elena ȘUȘNEA, Ionuț-Cosmin BUȚĂ — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Artificial intelligence contributes greatly to enhance situational awareness, providing early warning and contributing to the decision making process in the hybrid warfare context. Artificial intelligence brings a paradigm shift to “new” wars and threats, powered by increasing availability of military data and rapid progress of artificial intelligence techniques. The purpose of this paper is to identify researchers’ interest in the use of “artificial intelligence” in the “hybrid warfare" environment and to establish the topics they approach. In this respect, the aim of this paper is to produce a literature review by accessing a scientific database in order to perform an analysis on how connected topics, such as: machine learning, data mining, deep learning and artificial neural network are integrated in the military domain.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE – AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT IN CREATING A MODERN LEADER

Diana CHIȘ-MANOLACHE — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

This paper presents, in a concise manner, the importance of emotional intelligence in shaping the profile of the modern leader. Compared to the leader of the last century, the modern leader needs a multitude of skills in the field of emotional intelligence in order to deal with the change and to adapt to the realities of the organizational environment. Aspects such as self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy are just some of the skills that the modern leader must have, so that he can give consistency to the act of leadership. In this context, motivation is also a basic pillar that builds an effective relationship between the leader and his team. A motivated leader may be able to motivate his team and conduct it on the road to success.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF MODERN MILITARY LEADERSHIP IN IMPLEMENTING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES

Daniela-Elena HRAB — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

This article presents the main types of modern leadership and the possibilities to use them in the context of sustainable development. Furthermore, the article highlights the important contribution that military leaders may play in implementing the sustainability of the military organization and the society of which it is part, through the combined use of appropriate leadership styles and of the most needed qualities that leaders should possess.

NATIONAL RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PLAN EUROPEAN FUNDS MULTIPLIER ROLE AND POSSIBILITIES OF MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENCE INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROCESS

Dumitru NICA , Carmen-Gabriela NIȚU ( CHITAFES) — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

This paper aims at expressing the manner in which the Ministry of National Defence (MoND) can benefit from direct support, efficient and significant financial support for the implementation of sustainable reforms and public investments, as provided in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).The situation triggered by COVID-19 brings about new awareness in Romania and among all the EU member states, through the economic-financial crisis, jobs crisis, health, education, research, innovation and digitalization crisis, which has an impact on the drop of revenues both at European and international level. We must agree that such pandemics should find us prepared and that the investments should be planned well beforehand, similarly to the creation of an army. The defence of a state requires costs, and the financial support allocated to the defence sector is visible in the results of the foreign and economic policy of Romania. From this perspective, the MoND has prepared a series of proposals included in a number of reforms and investments documents. Such reforms and investments are absolutely necessary to Romania and represent essential contributions to the NRRP.

TOWARDS AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM OF MENTORING IN THE ROMANIAN MILITARY

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

Mentoring seems to be beneficial for both employer and employee. However, success is not necessarily the outcome of a formal mentoring program. In this paper we look for the best evidence available that can support the formalization of mentorship in the Romanian Military. Where empirical data is not available we use case studies, historical data, and good practices. In the final section of the paper we formulate recommendations for the design of a semi-formal mentoring pilot program.

SPECIFICS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION OF MILITARY PERSONNEL THROUGH THE EXAMPLE OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Eva RÉVAYOVÁ — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

This paper deals with the specifics of the teaching and learning processes of a foreign language for military purposes. Members of the armed forces not only communicate differently than civilians, but they also learn differently. The theoretical considerations are supported by examples from the teaching/learning processes within military environment. It emphasizes the military significance of language competence and examines the role of multilingualism within NATO and EU armies.

WILL E-LEARNING HAVE A NEGATIVE INFLUENCE ON UNIVERSITY DROPOUT IN ROMANIA?

Eugen LUNGU — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0200

University dropout provides nowadays a very broad theoretical perspective on the understanding of this concept in various higher education systems worldwide. This diversity of theoretical approaches, given the lack of a generally accepted formula for determining university dropout, renders this phenomenon increasingly studied today in the context in which the vast majority of the countries of the world are seeking solutions to reduce it. In this study, we shall discuss a number of theoretical considerations concerning the phenomenon of university dropout and from this perspective we shall try to articulate a viewpoint on the possible effects of online education on this phenomenon in Romania.