Making the Most of Peace and Humanitarian Operations
Abstract
The U.S. military has traditionally been engaged in peace and humanitarian operations. These operations support the current National Security Strategy and can be counted on to constitute future military missions. The debate over whether or not the military should be tasked with such missions has outlived its value. Attention should be turned to the questions of when and how the military can be most effectively employed in these operations. Numerous benefits can be gained when the military undertakes peace and humanitarian operations. However, significant costs can also be incurred. The most important factor determining whether the benefits will outweigh the costs is mission accomplishment - success. Another critical determinant is time, with shorter operations resulting in greater benefits and lower costs. Historically, peace and humanitarian operations with clear, limited objectives have produced more successful outcomes than complex missions or protracted peace-intensive operations. To maximize the net gain for the nation, strategic decision-makers are encouraged to continue to selectively engage with operations that meet these parameters. Proper preparation by military units can reduce the amount of combat skill degradation that typically results from the execution of peace and humanitarian operations. Service-wide usage of a deployment cycle, like the Navy-Marine Corps model, will further mitigate the costs of these operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 08, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA378441
Entities
People
- Antonio M. Edmonds
Organizations
- Naval War College