The aim of this paper is to analyze the cooperative security strategy that is often implemented by small states. Through the case study analysis of Latvia’s defense policies the duality of cooperative security strategy is illustrated. As one of the disadvantages to have cooperative security strategy is the great risk to be involved in the policies that small state would not implement under normal circumstances. In a result their policy planning suffers from the inconsistency creating an image that there is no security strategy at all. As an advantage serves the ‘spill over’ effect when through particular cooperative policies certain amount of resources are left for the development of national defense capabilities, thus supplementing small states’ strategic defensive incentives. The methodology of the paper embraces the analyses of Latvia’s official security policies and policy planning documents, interviews with policymakers and the case study analyses.
