Message from the Editor

Dear Colleagues,

            This issue of Security and Defense Studies Review is devoted to a small number of longer, intensively researched articles that have been waiting their turn patiently for an opportunity to share their views and expertise with a larger audience, plus a special report article that presents the considered opinions and analysis resulting from a workshop on Bolivia conducted at the Center in February, 2006.

            The special report article, entitled “Bolivia’s Future: The Government of Evo Morales,” is coauthored by Dr. John Fishel, Dr. Mary Grizzard and Dr. David Spencer, It presents the Bolivian panorama shortly before the inauguration of Mr. Evo Morales as President of Bolivia, and presents the observations and conclusions of the bilateral workshop.  Due to the composition of the attendees, this article is offered in the SDSR in both English and Spanish.

            The first of the major research articles is the work of CAPT (ARA) Julio A. Graf, Argentine Navy, who was with the Center for a year as a Visiting Scholar under a bilateral agreement with the Argentine Navy that has provided top naval officers for research and study at the Center.  His article, entitled “La Interoperabilidad y su relación con los procesos de Modernización y Transformación de Fuerzas:  Incentivos para abordar los cambios,” addresses the perception of reality in a world of constant change.  He deals with both the human and technological implications of addressing change, and introduces interoperability in terms of military forces as a concept crucial to solution of problems, not a problem in itself.

            The second article is the work of a Brazilian author, Eduardo Lucas, entitled “Tecnologia militar e indústria bélica no Brasil.”  The author seeks to address the issue of technological innovation also, in the context of a “Revolution in Military Affairs” (RAM) in the Brazilian armed forces.  He insists that the ramifications of the RAM go well beyond modernization to the heart of a proper strategy for Brazil in confronting the international context of threats and vulnerabilities.  He then seeks to assess the potential of RAM for modernizing and streamlining the armed forces to better address the multiple actors in future conflicts, and how to mobilize the Brazilian arms industry to support these new situations.

            The third research author departs from the focus on technology and modernization to offer a piece of historical collaboration that still resonates today.  Saúl Mauricio Rodríguez Hernández’ article, “Contribución Latinoamericana en Operaciones Multinacionales: El Caso de la Participación Colombiana en la Guerra de Corea (1950-1954) reminds us that military cooperation of the US and a Latin American country in an international operational context is not a new phenomenon, and that such cooperation under UN auspices in a shooting war has an historical precedent.  He deals with both the overseas and domestic implications of such involvement with respect to the Colombian military and the political context in which it was operating at the time.

            We believe you will find the studies of great interest.  As always, we invite your comments, and encourage your submission of articles, essays, commentaries, and reviews in the future.
Cordially,

Cordially,

Richard D. Downie, Ph. D.
Director, CHDS

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