ABSTRACT
In are era when East-West tensions are considerably reduced and there is supposed to be a "peace dividend," it becomes important not to let enthusiasm or appearance run away with judgment. Jaques Maritain argues that the purely economic interdependence of nations does not necessarily lead to peace. Traditionally, military, economic, political, and psychological actions were intended to change material circumstances to influence decision makers. Several of the ongoing or foreseeable situations could become an opportunity for exploitation by virtually any political actor–large or small–in the world. The contemporary strategic environment requires a new people-oriented model. More specifically, President Francois Mitterrand of France has argued that the disequilibrium in the strategic environment in the post-cold war era could well precipitate world war. The ability of any political actor to control and protect its own destiny and the daily lives of its citizens is severely threatened in the contemporary international security environment.
