Among the three new NATO allies, only Poland has both the potential and the political will to meaningfully contribute to the stabilization mission in Iraq. In comparison, the Hungarian and Czech contributions have been and will likely remain small, limited to the symbolic troop deployment to the Polish and British zones, the continued access to Hungarian air space and the deployment of the Czech hospital assigned to the operation. Unlike the Hungarian and Czech governments, where support for US policy in Iraq has been quite tenuous, Poland has consistently backed the US position on Iraq despite increased friction with Germany—its core European partner. The Polish government has also been willing to back its political support with a substantial military contribution. Arguably, Poland has promised to deploy and command forces abroad that exceed the country's actual military capacity. more

The author discusses four significant demographic issues in the context of the ecological security framework: population growth, movements, graying, and differential growth. more

PECS News Issue 2 includes reports from events on environmental security in Africa, an article on integrating gender into WWF's programs in Nepal, and a review of Gunther Baechler's Violence Through Environmental Discrimination. more

This publication adds to the recent years of dialogue regarding defense and security issues in the Caribbean. Bobea et al. present their analysis in the context of this dynamic region, shedding new light on the reforms of security and defense institutions. more