Peacekeeping and Peace Enforcement: Expanding Roles for the US Military
Abstract
The year 1989 marked the end of the Cold War between the United States and the former Soviet Union. The "old" world order was replaced by disorder and chaos inflamed by religious, ethnic, and cultural differences. The result has been widespread genocide, mass starvation, civil war, and in some cases the breakup of national sovereignty. As a result, the U.S. Armed Forces have become increasingly involved in nontraditional military roles. Employment of U.S. military forces in nontraditional roles has set off heated debates within the military and civilian leadership. Centered within the debate is the impact to readiness on U.S. military forces and the fiscal constraints affecting domestic conditions. Finally, the American public is asking to what degree the United States should be involved in world affairs? The United States has produced the most capable Armed Forces in the world. They are essentially equipped and organized to conduct two nearly simultaneous major regional conflicts (MRCs). Their mission is to fight and win the nation's wars. However, when the military is tasked to conduct these nontraditional operations, its successes are often tarnished by mission creep, inadequate mission planning, and limited training. In 1991, General Powell stated that "Peacekeeping and humanitarian operations are a given." Nontraditional roles will challenge U.S. forces in the post Cold War era. This paper argues that U.S. Armed Forces should expand their involvement in UN peacekeeping and peace enforcement operations. It also examines the key differences between the two and their interlocking relationships and limitations. Finally, it will develop a framework that will drive U.S. strategy for involvement in these operations. These recommendations are critical to shaping U.S. military strategy and military force structure in a post-containment world.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 17, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA441048
Entities
People
- Skip Scott
Organizations
- National War College