such models requiring the intensive exploitation of resources, the control of which provokes new situations of crisis and conflict. 3. It is not possible to predict what effects will result from these premises in the future, but a tendency towards widespread instability certainly looks set to remain at least in the near future. The dynamics of this instability, on the contrary, seem to be more and more violent and less confined to the places where they were generated. Phenomena such as the Caliphate and the destabilization of important neighbouring regions for social, economic, health or religious reasons, as well as the more traditional politics of power, require us to look at these events with concern. Concern that arises from the knowledge that we must ensure in the long term, with our allies, a condition of sufficient deterrence, functional in preventing future conflicts in the Euro-Atlantic and Euro-Mediterranean regions. We must take the responsibility for forecasting, preventing and, if necessary, managing events generated by situations of instability in terms of threats and attacks on our national integrity, our sovereignty and our vital interests, without excluding the risks generated by mass migration, pandemics, terrorism and crime. 4. In this perspective, the “defence function” and its operational component represented by the military, is an essential element of the national system which protects and guarantees our freedom. Freedom obtained from the sacrifice of past generations, which is an essential and necessary condition to safeguard free institutions and citizens’ rights. 5. Therefore faced with a situation of increasing international instability and insecurity, there is now a great need for Italy to deal rationally and methodically with the problem of national security and defence, as well as with foresight, not just by mana- - 14 -