The New World Order and Army Doctrine: The Doctrinal Renaissance of Operations Short of War
Abstract
This report examines the Army's role in the Third World from a doctrinal perspective. Specifically, the report looks at the development of Army doctrine relevant to MOSW (military operations short of war) and NCO (non-combat operations) and how doctrinal treatment of nonconventional operations affects the Army's capabilities in low-intensity conflict (LIC) environments in developing countries. It considers the relative status of nonconventional operations to Army operations as a whole; the projected post-Cold War increase in Army combat and noncombat missions in nonconventional environments; and the broader issue of the Army's mission within the evolving post-Cold War peacetime strategy. The study also examines LIC doctrine and the overall utility of LIC as a concept, and compares the doctrine with new and renascent doctrinal concepts relevant to operations in LIC. The report concludes that progress toward a workable, integrated LIC doctrine has been slow, but it is occurring. Doctrinal manuals currently in draft should be published without fundamental changes, enabling the Army to move toward a better doctrine for guiding its efforts in this area. It also concludes that the Army cannot continue to maintain its focus on conventional conflict as the primary ingredient of success to the exclusion of nonconventional capabilities. For the U.S. military to play a successful supporting role in peacetime or in conflict, whether through training of international military students, civil affairs, or various forms of civic action, U.S. troops themselves must be adequately versed in the precepts of internal defense and development, LIC and sensitive political environments, civil-military relations, and respect for human rights. More attention must therefore be paid to the training and preparation of U.S. troops sent to LIC environments as advisors, instructors, or less probably, combatants. (1 table, 3 figures, 47 refs.)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA428230
Entities
People
- Jennifer M. Taw
- Robert C. Leicht
Organizations
- RAND Corporation