Editing Strategic depth

{{Short description|Military term: Distance between Front lines and Key assets}}
{{war}}

'''Strategic depth''' is a term in military literature that broadly refers to the distances between the [[front line]]s or battle sectors and the combatants' industrial core areas, capital cities, heartlands, and other key [[Center of population|centers of population]] or [[Military industry|military production]].

== Concept ==
The key precepts any military commander must consider when dealing with strategic depth are how vulnerable these assets are to a quick, preemptive attack or to a methodical offensive and whether a country can withdraw into its own territory, absorb an initial thrust, and allow the subsequent offensive to culminate short of its goal and far from its source of power.

Commanders must be able to plan for both eventualities, and have measures and resources in place on both tactical and strategic levels to counter any and all stages of a minor or major enemy attack. The measures do not need to be limited to purely-military assets since the ability to reinforce civilian infrastructure or make it flexible enough to withstand or evade assault is very useful in times of war. The issue was the tradeoff between space and time as witnessed by [[Nazi Germany|Germany]]’s failure to defeat the [[Soviet Union]] in 1942. In the face of a German invasion, the Soviet military [[withdrawal (military)|retreated]] from [[Territories of Poland annexed by the Soviet Union|occupied Poland]] in June 1941 to the outskirts of [[Moscow]] in December 1941, which allowed the Soviet Union to [[Evacuation in the Soviet Union|move its industrial base]] to the east of the [[Ural Mountains]]. Thus, the industries that had been moved were able to produce the resources that were needed for the Soviet counterattack.

==In reference to Pakistan==
{{Main|Geography of Pakistan|Pakistan-Afghanistan}}
In Pakistan, the idea of strategic depth was perceived in 1980s by the [[National Defence University, Pakistan]], professor General [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] (later [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Chief of Army Staff]] working under [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Benazir Bhutto]] in 1980s).<ref name="DIIS"/> Since then, the [[Pakistan military]] establishment has been repeatedly accused of forming a policy that seeks to control [[Afghanistan]], a policy often referred to by the media as "strategic depth", which is used as the reason for Pakistan's support of certain factions of the [[Taliban]] in Afghanistan.<ref name="Parkes pp. 297–309">{{cite journal | last=Parkes | first=Aidan | title=Considered Chaos: Revisiting Pakistan's 'Strategic Depth' in Afghanistan | journal=Strategic Analysis | publisher=Informa UK Limited | volume=43 | issue=4 | date=2019-06-09 | issn=0970-0161 | doi=10.1080/09700161.2019.1625512 | pages=297–309| s2cid=195458519 }}</ref> In the years 2014–2015, with [[Operation Zarb-e-Azb|Pakistan's domestic operation against militants]] in full swing, Pakistani military leaders said that they adhered to no such policy.<ref name=FelbabBrown1>[http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2015/05/14-pakistan-afghanistan-regional-politics-felbabbrown Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan and implications for regional politics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715032426/http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2015/05/14-pakistan-afghanistan-regional-politics-felbabbrown |date=2016-07-15 }} - [[Vanda Felbab-Brown]], 14 May 2015, [[Brookings Institution]]</ref>

===Accusations against the Pakistan military===
The term "strategic depth" has been used in reference to [[Pakistan]]'s utilization and contact with [[Afghanistan]] following the neighboring country's [[Soviet invasion of Afghanistan|Soviet intervention]], to prevent encirclement from a hostile [[India]] and a [[USSR]]-supported Afghanistan.<ref name="DIIS">{{cite web|url=http://www.diis.dk/graphics/Publications/Reports2011/RP2011-08-Pakistans-future-policy_web.pdf|title=Pakistan's future policy towards Afghanistan|last=Siddique|first=Qandeel|work=Danish Institute for International Studies|access-date=3 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105160647/http://www.diis.dk/graphics/Publications/Reports2011/RP2011-08-Pakistans-future-policy_web.pdf|archive-date=5 November 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some sources state that the policy to control Afghanistan was formulated by [[National Defense University, Islamabad|NDU]] professor, General [[Mirza Aslam Beg]],<ref name="TSR20100517">{{cite web|url=http://bellum.stanfordreview.org/?p=2184|title=The Afghan Taliban and Pakistan's 'Strategic Depth'|date=17 May 2010|work=[[The Stanford Review]]|access-date=3 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101108184525/http://bellum.stanfordreview.org/?p=2184|archive-date=8 November 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> and an Indian source claims this was continued as an active policy by the [[Pakistan Armed Forces]] until the policy was "de jure abolished in 1998 and de facto abolished in 2001", period when General [[Pervez Musharraf]] was the [[Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee|Chairman joint chiefs]].<ref name="Hindu">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2001/11/07/stories/05072523.htm|title=Strategic depth in Afghanistan|date=1 November 2001|access-date=3 October 2011|last1=Raghavan|first1=V. R.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017211658/http://www.hindu.com/2001/11/07/stories/05072523.htm|archive-date=17 October 2011|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|url-status=dead}}</ref>

According to [[Richard G. Olson|Richard Olson]], [[U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan]], Pakistan military's doctrine of "strategic depth" is a concept in which Pakistan uses Afghanistan as an instrument of strategic security in ongoing tensions with [[India]] by attempting to control Afghanistan as a pawn for its own political purposes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/08/07/the_elusive_alliance|title=The elusive alliance|last=Imtiaz|first=Gul|date=7 August 2012|work=Foreign Policy|access-date=7 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808230145/http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/08/07/the_elusive_alliance|archive-date=8 August 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

It has been speculated that the [[Pakistan military]]'s "strategic depth" policy is either military or non-military in nature. The military version would state that the Pakistan military wishes to use Afghan territory as a "strategic rallying point" where they can, in the event of a successful Indian attack, retreat to and re-group for a counter-attack. The non-military version would be based on the idea that Pakistan can improve relations with other Islamic countries and [[former Soviet states]] such as [[Uzbekistan]] and [[Kazakhstan]], developing improved economic and cultural ties with them and thus making them into strong allies against India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opendemocracy.net/opensecurity/aziz-hakimi/af-pak-what-strategic-depth|title=Af-Pak: what is strategic depth?|last=Hakimi|first=Aziz|date=4 February 2010|publisher=opendemocracy.net|access-date=20 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816004718/http://www.opendemocracy.net/opensecurity/aziz-hakimi/af-pak-what-strategic-depth|archive-date=16 August 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

===View of the Pakistan military===
The former chief of army staff General [[Ashfaq Pervez Kayani|Ashfaq Kayani]] and previously the director-general of the [[Inter-Services Intelligence|ISI]], has repeatedly stated to the media that the Pakistan armed force's "strategic depth" policy with regards to Afghanistan is not to "control" Afghanistan but to ensure a "peaceful, friendly and stable" [[Pakistan - Afghanistan relations|relationship]] with Afghanistan. This policy therefore aims to ensure that Pakistan will not be threatened with long-term security problems on its [[Durand Line|Western border]] with Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.dawn.com/archives/29601|title=Kayani speaks|date=3 February 2010|work=Dawn|access-date=20 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415052016/http://archives.dawn.com/archives/29601|archive-date=15 April 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> According to Kayani, a 'talibanised' Afghanistan is not in Pakistan's interests.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/blog/blog_details.asp?id=461|title='Talibanised' Afghanistan not in Pakistan's interest: Kayani|date=3 February 2010|work=The News|location=Pakistan|access-date=20 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204050015/http://www.thenews.com.pk/blog/blog_details.asp?id=461|archive-date=4 December 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Parkes 2019 pp. 254–274">{{cite journal | last=Parkes | first=Aidan | title=Pakistan's Strategic Culture and its Gordian Knot in Afghanistan | journal=Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs | publisher=SAGE Publications | volume=6 | issue=3 | year=2019 | issn=2347-7970 | doi=10.1177/2347797019885728 | pages=254–274| s2cid=213418379 }}</ref>

According to Ejaz Haider, a Pakistani military journalist, there is a confusion in the media regarding the policy on using Afghan territory to as a fallback area for Pakistan military assets. Haider blames General [[Mirza Aslam Beg]] for proposing this when he was the chief of army staff of the Pakistan Army under [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Benazir Bhutto]], stating that this concept "was unpopular even when he was the chief and it has never been entertained by serious military planners. No one thinks of placing military and other assets in Afghanistan and thus acquiring strategic depth." Haider states that such a concept has always been impossible "for a host of reasons" and strategic depth is better used to describe achieving security through improving relationships with the governments of neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan and India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/268921/pakistan-needs-strategic-depth/|title=Pakistan needs strategic depth|last=Haider|first=Ejaz|date=7 October 2011|work=The Express Tribune|access-date=20 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026074304/http://tribune.com.pk/story/268921/pakistan-needs-strategic-depth/|archive-date=26 October 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

Lieutenant-General [[Asad Durrani]] of ISI, has rubbished claims in the media regarding Pakistan intending to use Afghan territory as "strategic depth". He also denies accusations that the Pakistan military has tried to "install a friendly government in Kabul" in order to "secure this depth". He gives the Soviet Union as an example, stating that "after the [[Saur Revolution]], the Soviets executed an installed president every three months in pursuit of that objective" and these policies later resulted in the defeat of the Soviets in Afghanistan. He argues that the notion of Pakistan using Afghan territory for its own purposes is a "distortion of a concept or of history" and is being used to vilify Pakistan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/277418/strategic-depth--revisited/|title=Strategic depth — revisited|last=Lt-Gen (r) Asad Durrani|date=19 October 2011|work=The Express Tribune|access-date=20 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021142919/http://tribune.com.pk/story/277418/strategic-depth--revisited/|archive-date=21 October 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

==In Israel==
{{see also|Geography of Israel|Military doctrine#Israel}}
[[Israel]] is a narrow country, and its internationally recognized [[Borders of Israel|borders]] leave it just {{convert|85|mi|km}} across at its widest point and {{convert|9|mi|km}} at its narrowest (between [[Tulkarm]] and [[Tel Aviv]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elearning.la.psu.edu/jst060/lesson_2/natural-geography|title=Natural Geography — Modern Israel|author=Alan F. Benjamin|publisher=Penn State University|access-date=27 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204032136/http://elearning.la.psu.edu/jst060/lesson_2/natural-geography|archive-date=4 February 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> A number of Israeli leaders (originally [[Abba Eban]]) have referred to Israel's internationally recognized borders (those the country had from 1948 to 1967) as the "[[Auschwitz]] borders" because of the perceived danger of annihilation by regional foes.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Landau-1967-lines-are-Auschwitz-borders-314393|title=Landau: 1967 lines are 'Auschwitz borders'|author=Lahav Harkov|date=26 May 2013|work=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|access-date=27 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202095531/http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Landau-1967-lines-are-Auschwitz-borders-314393|archive-date=2 February 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.566644|title=Deputy foreign minister: 1967 borders are Auschwitz borders|author=Barak Ravid|date=2 January 2014|work=Haaretz|access-date=27 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140120155514/http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.566644|archive-date=20 January 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/israeli-settlers-reject-the-auschwitz-borders/|title=Israeli Settlers Reject the 'Auschwitz Borders' of 1967|author1=Robert Mackey |author2=Elizabeth A. Harris |date=19 May 2011|work=New York Times|access-date=27 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105051442/http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/israeli-settlers-reject-the-auschwitz-borders/|archive-date=5 January 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 1967, Israel has occupied the [[West Bank]], somewhat widening the area under the military's effective control.

To compensate for the lack of strategic depth, Israel puts a great importance on [[deterrence theory|deterrence]] (partially by threat of [[Nuclear weapons and Israel|nuclear weapons]]), superior [[firepower]], and the use of [[pre-emptive war]] to prevent threats from encroaching on Israeli territory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/doctrine/|title=Strategic Doctrine - Israel|date=25 May 2000|publisher=[[Federation of American Scientists]]|access-date=27 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701145333/http://fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/doctrine/|archive-date=1 July 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Yitzhak Rabin]] said about the [[Six-Day War]] (considered a classic example of pre-emption):
<blockquote>The basic philosophy of Israel was not to initiate war, unless an active war was carried out against us. We then lived within the lines prior to the Six-Day War, lines that gave no depth to Israel—and therefore, Israel was in a need, whenever there would be a war, to go immediately on the [[offensive (military)|offensive]]—to carry the war to the enemy's land.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDWXI8-4fxk|title=Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin Interview with Bill Boggs|date=30 January 2012 |publisher=[[YouTube]]|access-date=29 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621103015/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDWXI8-4fxk|archive-date=21 June 2014|url-status=live}}</ref></blockquote>

Israeli leaders consider the issue of strategic depth to be important in negotiating its final borders as part of the [[Israeli–Palestinian peace process]]. Issues of contention include the [[Israeli settlement|West Bank settlements]] and potential Israeli control of the [[Jordan Valley]] after the creation of a Palestinian state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shaularieli.com/image/users/77951/ftp/my_files/articles_in_english/brochure_eng.pdf?id=9345485|title=Defensible Borders and Strategic Depth|last=Brig. Gen. (Res.) Shlomo Brom|date=September 2011|publisher=The Council for Peace and Security|access-date=27 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208174207/http://www.shaularieli.com/image/users/77951/ftp/my_files/articles_in_english/brochure_eng.pdf?id=9345485|archive-date=8 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Culminating point]]
* [[Defence in depth]]
* [[Loss of Strength Gradient]]
* [[Military strategy]]
* [[Soviet deep battle]]
* [[Strategic defence]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/afghanistan/2021-07-22/pakistans-pyrrhic-victory-afghanistan article on Pakistan's perceived views on 'strategic depth' in Afghanistan.]

{{Military and war}}
{{Military doctrines of Pakistan}}

[[Category:Military doctrines of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Military strategy]]
[[Category:Military geography]]
[[Category:History of the foreign relations of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Military terminology of Pakistan]]