U S Army War College

Amazon, Priority for Brazilian National Defense Policy U S Army War College

The Amazon region is considered a strategic area thanks its geographic characteristics, wealth and potential threats. The Brazilian national defense policy, issued in 1996, the first in the history of the country, established directives to orient the Brazilian military strategic planning as well as diplomatic positions concerning international security. Moreover, this document introduced the concept of sustainable defense that relates the security of the State with the well being of society. This new concept points out that defense, even based on military means; requires participation of society as a whole. This project describes the main aspects that influence the elaboration process of defense policy at international and Brazilian State levels. It also describes the problems of the Amazon as well as the coordinated, integrated and harmonic actions of Brazilian military, diplomatic, scientific people in general that are taking place throughout the country to assure that Brazil has an effective and sustainable defense capability of the Amazon area, within a concept of a continent of peace.