In recent decades, many western societies have come to view defence primarily through a military lens: armed forces, budgets, procurement programs, and operational capabilities. While these elements remain essential, they no longer capture the full spectrum of challenges confronting democratic nations.
My recent book, “Defense is Freedom”, starts from a simple premise: freedom does not preserve itself. It requires conscious protection, not only against conventional military threats but also against the vulnerabilities that emerge within societies themselves.
Today’s strategic environment is characterized by growing geopolitical competition, technological disruption, information warfare, and the erosion of trust in institutions. Conflicts increasingly unfold beyond traditional battlefields. They target perceptions, narratives, social cohesion, and the ability of citizens to distinguish truth from manipulation. In this context, defence can no longer be understood solely as a military responsibility. It becomes a broader civic and cultural responsibility.
One of the book’s central arguments is that democratic societies face a growing risk of what I describe as “collective torpor.” We live in an age of unprecedented access to information, yet often struggle to achieve genuine understanding. Constant exposure to news, social media, and digital stimuli can create the illusion of awareness while reducing our capacity for reflection and critical judgment. The result is not necessarily ignorance, but disorientation.
This challenge is amplified by what many analysts now describe as cognitive warfare. Unlike traditional forms of conflict, cognitive warfare seeks to influence how individuals and communities perceive reality. Its objective is not simply to spread falsehoods, but to undermine confidence, deepen polarization, and weaken the foundations of informed decision-making. In such circumstances, the mind itself becomes a strategic domain.
For democratic societies, this reality carries profound implications. Military preparedness remains indispensable, but it is insufficient on its own. Resilience also depends on education, critical thinking, media literacy, trustworthy institutions, secure infrastructure, technological autonomy, and informed citizenship. A nation that neglects these dimensions may possess significant material capabilities while remaining vulnerable in more subtle but equally consequential ways.
This broader understanding of defence should not be confused with militarization. A culture of defence is fundamentally different from a culture of war. Its purpose is not to glorify force, but to cultivate responsibility. It is rooted in the recognition that peace, freedom, and democratic institutions require active stewardship. Defence, in its highest sense, is an act of guardianship.
The book also explores the relationship between leadership and responsibility. Effective leadership is not defined by visibility, popularity, or authority alone. It is measured by the willingness to accept responsibility for decisions and their consequences. In an era marked by complexity, uncertainty, and information overload, democratic societies need leaders capable of combining competence with moral responsibility and strategic vision.
Education occupies a particularly important place in this discussion. Critical thinking can no longer be considered merely an academic aspiration; it has become a strategic necessity. Schools, universities, media organizations, and families all contribute to shaping citizens who are either resilient or vulnerable to manipulation. The ability to evaluate information, recognize bias, and understand geopolitical realities has become an essential component of democratic resilience.
Ultimately, “Defence is Freedom” is not a book about weapons or military power. It is a reflection on the conditions that allow free societies to remain free. It argues that defence begins long before a crisis emerges and extends far beyond the military sphere. It encompasses the protection of truth, the preservation of civic responsibility, the cultivation of critical judgment, and the safeguarding of the values that sustain democratic life.
Freedom is often celebrated as a right. Less frequently is it understood as a responsibility. Yet history repeatedly reminds us that what is not consciously protected can gradually be lost. A culture of defence, therefore, is not merely a strategic requirement. It is an essential condition for the preservation of freedom itself.