Counter-Terrorism and Critical Infrastructure Protection

Final Report of the Working Group

Rome, Center for High Defense Studies

27th September 2006

 

The key threat to the international peace and security and Alliance today comes from international terrorism. This threat is global and requires expanded cooperation between Allies themselves and non-NATO states.
 
NATO should work to adopt a common doctrine for the fight against terrorism and its acquisition of CBRN material. The objective that is desired for the formulation of such a common doctrine is to provide a collective codification that identifies NATO’s position vis a vis the global fight against terrorism: the aims, means and benchmarks of this policy.
 
Such a doctrine should provide the guidelines for member states as well as other partner states, through providing a definition as well as a tool kit to be utilised in cases of a terrorist threat or attack against a member state, a partner state, vital interests, and critical infrastructure. While the doctrine provides for the responses to the above mentioned, yet does not undermine the national discretion of individual states.
 
Furthermore, a NATO doctrine on terrorism enable the organisation to build upon the existing relations that have already been formulated with other states.
 
Today’s terrorism cannot be addressed with military means alone, but military means can be useful in dealing with the threat. Other organizations have and are developing competencies in the field and NATO should seek maximum complementarity, while investing most of its energy in where its contribution can be most effective.
 
Political Dimension
 
The shared characteristic of terrorist acts is that they are politically motivated and religiously manipulated. Thus, the root causes have to be addressed (the Arab-Israeli conflict, poverty, bad governance etc.).
 
Coordination and complementarity of policies, organizations and procedures with other international and regional organizations, to include the EU, should be sought wherever necessary.
 
More substantial dialogue with the European Union on CT and WMD proliferation must start.
 
NATO should establish robust partnerships, based on strong strategic dialogue, with the aim of reaching a common threat analysis and developing the appropriate tools that would enhance the security of Allies and that of their partners.
 
Military/Security Dimension
 
Intelligence sharing must be improved radically inside the Alliance. NATO should seek intelligence sharing in the partnership frameworks. The capacity of directing intelligence against non-state actors and sharing intel products with national and EU police forces should be improved.
 
Deployability of national military forces must be improved as a priority.
 
Interoperability should be improved inside the Alliance and with partners in order to act together more effectively when the military is used in CT functions.
 
NATO peace support operations contribute to Defense Against Terrorism (DAT) in that they help create the conditions under which individual states are able to deal with security challenges including terrorism by their own means.
 
Security sector reform should figure prominently in partnership agendas.
 
NATO should enhance cooperation with regional collective security organizations and encourage regional cooperation.
 
NATO should assure that CT missions are well integrated in its NATO Response Force.
 
NATO should recognize and take forward the Programme of Work on DAT technologies and, where appropriate, involve outside partners.
 
NATO should endorse a Special Operations Forces initiative at Riga.

 

 
 
 

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