Collections

Known Unknowns: Unconventional "Strategic Shocks" in Defense Strategy Development Mister Nathan P Freier PKSOI Paper by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, Strategic Studies Institute "The current defense team confronted a game-changing “strategic shock” in its first 8 months in office. The next team would be well-advised to expect the same. Defense-relevant strategic shocks jolt convention to such an extent that they force sudden, unanticipated change in the Department of Defense’s (DoD) perceptions about threat, vulnerability, and strategic response. Their unanticipated onset forces the entire defense enterprise to reorient and restructure institutions, employ capabilities in unexpected ways, and confront challenges that are fundamentally different than those routinely considered in defense calculations."

Known Unknowns: Unconventional "Strategic Shocks" in Defense Strategy Development Mr Nathan P Freier Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The current defense team confronted a gamechanging “strategic shock” in its first 8 months in office. The next team would be well-advised to expect the same. Defense-relevant strategic shocks jolt convention to such an extent that they force sudden, unanticipated change in the Department of Defense’s (DoD) perceptions about threat, vulnerability, and strategic response. Their unanticipated onset forces the entire defense enterprise to reorient and restructure institutions, employ capabilities in unexpected ways, and confront challenges that are fundamentally different than those routinely considered in defense calculations."

The American Military Advisor: Dealing with Senior Foreign Officials in the Islamic World Michael J Metrinko PKSOI Paper by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, Strategic Studies Institute "The American Military Advisor: Dealing with Senior Foreign Officials in the Islamic World is a comprehensive guide for American military officers assigned as advisors to regional officials in places very different from the United States. Starting with a definition of terms and a brief description of the advisory role, it brings the reader into today’s Islamic political and social context, pointing out the complexities inherent in the advisory position, as well as the tools an advisor must use in order to perform successfully..."

The American Military Advisor: Dealing with Senior Foreign Officials in the Islamic World Mr Michael J Metrinko Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The advisory role is at best loosely defined in military career terms, and realities on the ground further complicate the advisory mission. These include differences in American and foreign perception of the advisory position, differences in the way Americans and host country officials view time lines, the impact of the local calendar on the advisor’s work, and the importance of cultural adaptation and intellectual openness. In the end, establishing personal rapport with a host country official is the basis for success as an advisor, and the qualities in an advisor’s personality that allow for such a relationship are difficult to quantify."

United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Principles and Guidelines United Nations Peacekeeping Missions Manual by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, Department of Peacekeeping Operations "Over the past six decades, United Nations peacekeeping has evolved into a complex, global undertaking. During this time, the conduct of United Nations peacekeeping operations has been guided by a largely unwritten body of principles and informed by the experiences of the many thousands of men and women who have served in the more than 60 operations launched since 1948. This document captures these experiences for the benefit and guidance of planners and practitioners of United Nations peacekeeping operations."

Building Governance Capacity through the Commander's Emergency Response Program LTC Peter Andrysiak, COL Scott A Spellmon Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute "Field Manual (FM) 3-24 Counterinsurgency offers ten paradoxes of counterinsurgency (COIN) operations that illustrate the unique demands, difficulties, and complexities in this form of warfare. The paradoxes range from “sometimes the more force is used, the less effective it is” to 'tactical success guarantees nothing.' While each of these notions can be counterintuitive to a conventional view of tactics and operations, they serve to stimulate our thought toward a significantly different mindset required for the successful conduct of COIN operations."

Elections in Afghanistan: Looking to the Future Michael J Metrinko Issue Paper by the US Army War College, US Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute "Modern Afghan political history has witnessed a series of violent power struggles, bloody coups, assassinations and unstable transfers of authority. The various forms of government over the past 50 years have included a monarchy, varieties of socialism, a communist state, and a theocracy. Although many officials of these previous regimes still play a role in Afghan politics, a very large number – including several heads of state – died violently in the various upheavals. The Afghan government has now been restructured as an Islamic republic consisting of three branches of power – executive, legislative and judiciary – with powers and responsibilities clearly delineated in a new Constitution. Elected in 2004, Hamid Karzai is now the President of Afghanistan, and a Parliament and Provincial Councils were elected by popular vote in 2005."

Guide for Participants in Peace, Stability, and Relief Operations Robert M Perito Guides and Handbooks by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, United States Institute of Peace, United States Institute of Peace Press "Bringing lasting peace and stability to regions devastated by violent conflict is a daunting and urgent task. Equally important is facilitating cooperation among the diverse institutions involved in peace, stability, and relief operations. In discussing international interventions, terms go in and out of fashion, but, as I write these words (April 2007), what are referred to as “stability operations” are under way in Iraq and Afghanistan, societies still embroiled in violent conflict. Elsewhere, peace operations are carried out in situations where, for the most part, the violent phase of conflict is over."

Civil Military Operations: Afghanistan Professor William J Flavin Peacekeeping Institute Publication by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute "The U.S. Army Peacekeeping Institute (PKI), located at the U.S. Army War College, has previously conducted studies of Civil Military Operations (CMO) in U.S. military engagements abroad. Based on comments from various levels of command engaged in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, PKI felt that the one-year mark was the proper time to do an assessment of CMO there. Most participants would be completing tours and have the time and perspective to reflect on their experiences."