White Paper, that strange desire to do soon ...

15/07/15

As far as we know, STAMADIFESA is currently engaged in a great effort on the White Paper (LB). Several “work groups” have been working for weeks, technical meetings that follow one after the other, never as now does SMD really appear as the MD's navel. Why?

The reason is all to be found in the opportunities that the next few weeks, so rich in potentially favorable events, could provide in relation to the objectives set by the "White Paper on International Security and Defense" (LB), in the last chapter, the tenth , it is stated that said LB "constitutes a ministerial directive for all the AD's articulations and therefore the objectives, when recognized as achievable by current legislation, must be immediately pursued".

Further on (paragraph 296), the LB also fixes precise deadlines: within three months, a narrow, unspecified Commission will prepare the revision of the Minister's governance; within six months, "the Head of SMD will prepare for the evaluation of the Minister a new organizational structure of the military instrument", which could vary heavily the one in place, also descending from L. 244 / 2012 and the Legislative Decree 7; moreover, again within six months, the same "Head of SMD will prepare, for the approval of the Minister, a Strategic Defense Review ... and a new planning cycle will be elaborated".

A real revolution!

If this is the case, then, the problem lies in determining what are the "objectives, recognized as achievable by current legislation", which could thus be "immediately prosecuted" through quick and simplified paths, avoiding binding ordinary legislative steps or further delegations.

The questions then are: it is objective "reachable to current legislation" the establishment of the "Deputy Commander for Operations" that will have responsibility, delegated by the Head of SMD, planning and deployment of forces in operations, with the help of a COI IF (para 173)?

And it is the transit of the function of National Director of Armaments from SGD to SMD, which will be accompanied by the establishment of the Logistic Command of Defense (CLD) and will lead to the birth of the "DNAL" (National Director of Armaments and Logistics Manager), as foreseen para. 174?

And it is the establishment of the "Interforces Assessment Commission" (para. 181), which will revolutionize the current model of career advancement and will attribute to the Head of SMD the power to determine the promotions of the military leadership of all FFs. .AA.?

And is it the institution of new structures with relative top positions and staff, such as the nascent Training Directorate IF, which certainly will not reduce the hierarchical levels as well as promises the LB?

And finally, the weakening of the FF.AA. and their summits, to the full advantage of the role of the Head of SMD?

Well, faced with this tangled skein, the next parliamentary deadlines offer an unrepeatable opportunity to speed up and simplify the paths for the achievement of the objectives set by the LB: the summer is incumbent, and with it the closure of the Chambers; the Defense Commissions are on the eve of the re-election of the Presidents; in the house PD, the Hon. Scanu, who has already resigned from the Parent Company and who in the past had some displeasure, gave him to the Minister, could be the new President of the Chamber. And the opposition groups have already recalled the centrality of the Chambers. So maybe it's better to speed up the times ...

We think differently, convinced as we are that the objectives set by the LB, some of which are very worrying because they are oriented to the creation of strong man (the Head of SMD), which in matters of defense poses very serious problems, all have to be screened or at least to the discussion of Parliament.

For this we launch an appeal: Thursday pv, the Head of SMD will be hearing in Parliament, it would be really interesting to be questioned on the intentions that are maturing in terms of the methods, routes and time needed to implement the above-mentioned objectives of the LB ...

At our next installment on the LB, we would like to reflect a bit on the new powers of the Head of SMD.

Giancarlo Pittelli (FLP Defense general coordinator)

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