Category PKSOI Papers

The activities of private companies in combat operations and complex environments have traditionally drawn minimal attention when compared to their historic presence in such settings yet in the last twenty years the services of these companies have grown to become a seemingly indispensable part of the modern western stabilization arsenal, as well as the subject of much media attention.

In this study, Professor Raymond Millen has identified a persistent challenge in U.S. efforts to provide effective security cooperation and capacity building with fragile and failing states – the realm of ministerial advising. From his research and analysis, Professor Millen concludes by recommending the establishment of a professional ministerial corps.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a platform for the broader Civil Affairs community to communicate to important opinion leaders in the Executive and Legislative branches, as well as key military commands and institutions what it thinks the way ahead should be for Civil Affairs, utilizing experienced operators rather than just the usual Think Tank approach.

Transportation is the “web of union”, and sustainability of systems relies upon political will. Sustainable transportation is the result of intentional policy at the strategic level and potentiates unified governance and economic growth. This paper proposes that a long term vision and for key principles of sustainable transportation are critical to success in establishing and operating transportation systems.

As U.S. participation in the counter insurgency (COIN) operations in Iraq and in Afghanistan enter a new and much more limited phase, one unanswered question remains: What defines victory in a counter insurgency?

The U.S., Europe and regional African players must tackle drug smuggling in West Africa to prevent that region from falling into chaos. Today, West Africa is a significant nexus for the illegal trafficking of oil, weapons, cigarettes, drugs and other commodities.

A few important point that emerge from this monograph deserve special attention. The disparity in resources for personnel between USAID and DoD, a persistent barrier to effective coordination, makes it extremely difficult for USAID to have the float for training with our military colleagues.

This paper argues that foundational work already accomplished toward better military civilian coordination over the past ten years of stability operations must continue.

History is littered with examples where the inability to stabilize a nation at the conclusion of military operations has led to even more complex problems.

It is clear that fragile nation-states will continue to be a major contributor to instability in the international strategic environment. The United States, its allies and partners have attempted to mitigate the negative effects of fragile states through a variety of approaches, including military stability and reconstruction (S&R) operations such as those undertaken in Iraq and Afghanistan. America’s success rate at conducting S&R operations however, is mixed.