From defence doctrine to national security strategy : the case of the Netherlands

Abstract

In describing Dutch security policy, the military model of levels of strategy is applied to the (civil) national security environment, followed by a discussion of the Netherlands Defence Doctrine (2005) and the Netherlands National Security Strategy (2007), and by a comparison of the Dutch security documents with American and Russian security strategies. The current security priorities of the Dutch Cabinet are climate change, polarisation and radicalisation in society, and energy supply assurance. The Dutch strategy was drafted by the Ministry of the Interior. However, as a political or grand strategy, it should be drawn up by the Ministry of General Affairs of the Prime Minister, to avoid interdepartmental competition.