National Security Strategy - a good shopping list

I have very mixed thoughts about this security strategy. Yes it is very late - but better late than never. It is important that it is written because it starts other processes like MIlitary Strategy. But what is this particular document really for? It is not for security for the simple reason it talks around all those real things that really affect the security of the country. There is no mention of the insidious power of Oligarchs or of the attempts to undermine the state by Medvechuk. It basically covers every aspect of the life of the country but delivers no more help for society than that.

I want to be positive but I have seen too many security strategies written exactly like this in Eastern European and former communist countries. They are designed to be a work of art in themselves. Good papers but not for implementation! This one at least does say that the country will do lots of things, but there is no evidence of the priorities, how they will be performed or who will make them happen. It is implementation free.

Sadly the document is spoiled completely by placing Russia at number 8 in the list of threats to the country behind competition for world leadership between USA and China - is that really a key threat to Ukraine and more important than Russia? Of course it is not and to write so immediately weakens the impact of the whole document. The document completely avoids the fact that Russia has a vote in the security of the country. It is not a passive actor that can be fought only by "deterrence" or "international law". Putin does not care for either. Drink some of his tea and find out. This document should say so. Hoping that being soft and mollifying (Dictionary: appease the anger or anxiety of (someone)) will work is pure nonsense. Surrender does not bring peace, it brings domination, terror and loss of freedom. I do not see this challenge mentioned.

The prooof of this document will be in how there are immediate changes today, Tuesday, based upon its direction. Will there actually be enforcement of the law (priorities one and two) - can we expect to see cases on the Heavenly Hundred this week? Will Antoneko be released today because the evidence is totally nonsense? Can we expect to see reform of the armed forces start by selection of new people? Will a proper reserve system be organised next week? Im afraid that we know the answers already.

This document is less a strategy than a bland statement of what we already know and a nice shopping list for the future - sweeties for everyone, all designed to keep us happy including Russia and the international coimmunity. But a poor country needs hard priorities not kisses and presents. Where are they?

The philosopher Wittgenstein talks about the need for common understanding of words and the realities of being in different language communities. I am afraid that society and the government exist in two different societies entirely and the words they use do not mean the same. If we all went through the document and asked "Do these words mean the same to the President as to me?" and "will this statement actually happen?", I think we sadly all know the answers to this.