Strategic issue essay

Strategic issue essay

Requirements: At least 1500 words and 5 sources

Format:

1. What is the issue you are picking and why is it a strategic problem; You should use the framework presented at the start of the course:

Strategy is:

Ends: What is the desired outcome?

Ways: What tools are available to achieve these ends?

Means: Resources required to support the ways

You can then use the below to discuss the ways and means

1. Diplomatic
2. Intelligence/Information/Law Enforcement
3. Military
4. Economic

You should use Vision 2030 to describe what the strategic objectives of the UAE are (ends) and how the issue you highlighted will make that difficult or impossible to achieve

2. If the threat is from a terrorist group or a state actor (Iran for example or another state) you should apply the strategic framework mentioned above to demonstrate what the actor’s strategy is against the UAE.
   1. If for example you are using a natural disaster you would have to say what the end result to the UAE will be if this occurs. For example rising sea levels will flood Abu Dhabi and Dubai causing economic dislocation and the relocation of people to other parts of the country

3. Whatever issue you pick, you will conclude the paper using the strategy model to address what the UAE can do to prevent or mitigate the threat for occurring through the following means

Use the following as examples of tools

1. Diplomatic
2. Intelligence/Information/Law Enforcement
3. Military
4. Economic

You should clearly use each of the above in your paper providing some evidence of how each one will be used.

Example:

Terrorism poses a strategic threat to the UAE because the UAE in vision 2030 says its ends are a strong, peaceful and prosperous society embracing a dynamic multicultural world.

As part of this the UAE will take an active part in regional affairs  to create a safe region. Domestically, It will try to accomplish that end through having a diversifying its economy through attracting foreign investment   and talent to help develop areas such as finance and technology.  To ensure this happens the UAE needs to make its citizens and foreign workers   without being seen as oppressive. A major terrorist attack will likely cause foreign workers and resources to flee making the end more difficult to achieve. 

Da’ish is the most serious current threat as it wants to impose its warped understanding of Islam on the Muslim world including UAE.(end) It is willing to use excessive violence against anyone it deems unworthy (ways). To achieve this it requires significant funds to support its recruitment and operational activities (means)

To defeat Da’ish (end) this the UAE will use its full range of national power (ways) to protect its Vision 2030. Given the low price of oil the UAE may have to find other sources of income to help support the effort (means)

Example

Climate change poses a significant threat to the UAE because rising sea levels will damage costal urban areas (end) causing significant economic and population dislocation (ways) causing the state to have to invest significant resources to address this problem, making resources unavailable for other uses (means)

The disruption of life in the UAE (end) will result from rising sea levels forcing people to leave the cities either for inland settlements or to their home countries (ways), taking money and skills necessary for the nation to rebuild and advance (means)

The UAE will likely take to approaches to prevent this from occurring (ends). First it will work to encourage all nations to reduce their carbon emissions through diplomatic treaties (ways)). Domestically it will change to a low carbon economy (way) and finance that change through introducing a carbon tax (means)