Annual Baltic Conference on Defence 2011

28-29 September 2011 · Tallinn

From the Cold War and Hot Peace to the Long War and Beyond: What Are Our Armed Forces (Good) For?

ABCD 2011 was dedicated to reflecting upon the evolving role of military force and the implications of change and continuity for its utility. We also discussed the latest trends in the strategic environment and the questions of what war is and what constitutes peace in the age of ‘hybrid threats’. These theoretical considerations were used as a basis for a debate about developments in European defence and options for small Allies. The U.S. military presence in Europe has served as an indispensable part of Europe’s deterrence and Allied operational capabilities. With the decrease in U.S. presence, the questions of how to get ‘more Europe’ in security and defence and how to strengthen the transatlantic bond need to be considered once again.