ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the implications of democratization in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union for European security. It analyzes the military-technical, military-political and arms control implications of the collapse of the Warsaw Pact. The book argues that arms control and arms reduction have to go beyond their traditional role of increasing military stability between two politically antagonistic alliances and instead become tools for forging a European security system. It seeks to identify criteria that characterize a defensive military doctrine and how these relate to force structures. The book presents three key elements that ensure the success of major offensives: high mobility, high firepower and relative invulnerability. It also argues that "zones of confidence and security" should be created along the present national borders in Europe with limits on the size and frequency of exercises and mobilization capability.
