Enduring Interests and Partnerships: Military-to-Military Relationships in the Arab Spring
Abstract
During the past decade, the most visible military activities in the U.S. Central Command(USCENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR) have been decidedly kinetic, showcased primarily through operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. This year marks important transitions in both of these campaigns as Afghan National Security Forces begin to take the lead on security operations and the United States shifts to a more traditional security relationship with Baghdad. Building partner capacity in Afghan and Iraqi forcesone of USCENTCOMs key no kinetic activitiesis a central component to success in both of these missions. Another major series of events in 2011, however, has elevated the importance of military-to-military(mil-to-mil) engagements beyond mere partner-nation capacity-building: the Arab Spring.As the dynamics in the Middle East continue to evolve in response to popular calls for reform, mil-to-mil engagements have been, and will remain, critical to supporting and advancing U.S. relationships and strategic interests in the region. As this article illustrates, mil-to-mil engagements are integral to the general purpose and activities of U.S. combatant commands (COCOMs) and are particularly crucial for USCENTCOM in light of recent events in the AOR. Mil-to-mil engagements serve as vital connective tissue in our relationships with partners and allies as the United States seeks to respond effectively to Arab Spring reform movements while continuing to ensure regional security and stability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- AD1042738
Entities
People
- Elizabeth C. Packard
- Kenneth Jr F. Mckenzie