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Realist Approach To Military Security

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Looking back over the development of the Security Studies field, there can be no doubt that the realist tradition has exercised enormous influence. Even the harshest of critics can acknowledge that with their focus on power, fear, and anarchy, realist theories have provided centrally important explanations for conflict and war (Williams, 2013). One interpretation of realism that is unbroken amongst most commentators of the theory is that realists are individuals that believe the State is the principle actor in international politics and that they are very concerned with the balance of power (Marsalis, 2013). They argue that all the State’s actions and choices are a reflection of the collective will of the people, which is also an argument …show more content…

This fact undoubtedly is a result of the uncertainty which still remains between states regardless of the numerous progressive moves in a liberal direction for the international community such as the establishment of the United Nations (UN) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). In spite of this liberal progression the traditional realist approach still and perhaps will for the foreseeable future remain at the crux of military security regardless of whatever shortcomings. An easy explanation for this is that the very concept of military security is based on realist thought, realist vision, the very instinct to defend, protect and attack if necessary are the fundamentals of military security but also of realism. The world continues to be a dangerous and ruthless place as any traditional realist would agree. The inherent dark side of humanity remains giving optimum reason as to why the strengths of the traditional realist approach to military security outweigh the weaknesses. As the realist school of thought suggested, each state has one agenda, to survive and will therefore go through any means necessary to ensure this. However there will always be others who believe there is more to human nature and more to state agenda than realism allows for. In conclusion, realism has dominated the study of security significantly and in turn has dominated the concept of military security. Realism in relation to military security will continue to dominate as its fundamentals encompass what military security is all about. It may have flaws and weaknesses, it may be deemed regressive in some aspects by critics but it reflects accurately in essence what military security is and what it aims to achieve. The capability to defend

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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK It involves using theories to explain the existing problem in various situations. Realism theory and the dependency theory will be used to explain the existing conflict between Israel and Palestine. It will also be able to justify the use of force by the Israeli government when dealing with Palestinian Hamas. Realism theory in the Israeli and Palestine conflict Realism theory explains how states are selfish, struggle to gain power and succeed in acquiring its national interests in the international system. Realists identify world politics as a trans-historical and trans-geographical struggle for power, and that in this context Thucydides’ dictum that, “the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept” (where strength and weakness are calculated by military capabilities) is the stark and universal truth (Schmidt, 2007; Thucydides, 1972, p. 402).

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It believes that all individuals are born with an increasing desire to own power hardwired inside them. In these circumstances dominant states should do direct high power over their rivals. In the other hand, structural realism does not define the quest for power, instead it is focused on the structure of the international

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