Militärstrategiska doktriner, en verktygslåda för fredliga och krigande småstater? : En fallstudie av IDF Official Strategy 2015

Israel has fought over 20 wars or conflicts since 1948. Israeli doctrines have always been classified, until recently. For the very first time ever the IDF released a public version of the IDF Official Strategy in 2015. The problems of small state doctrines are two-folded. First, all states are confronted with several military theoretical problems on how to efficiently distribute military resources. Second, doctrinal tool development theories have tended to examine only friendly small state doctrines. The IDF 2015 defines Israel’s threat as heterogenous and therefore, according to Høiback’s doctrinal tool development theory, the IDF doctrine should serve as a tool of education. The aim of this study is to test Høibacks theoretical applicability on small state doctrines by analyzing The IDF 2015. The result is indicating that Høiback’s theory is not applicable on small state doctrine regarding heterogenous threats, however the theory can be used to examine the purpose on what tool the IDF doctrine serves. The conclusion is that Høiback’s theoretical applicability on IDF 2015’s purpose doesn’t comply with defined Israeli strategic threats, but Høiback is still relevant for examining and determine what tool the IDF doctrine serves.