Working Through, With, and By Non-US Actors to Achieve Operational-Level Security Objectives
Abstract
Working "through, with, and by" non-US actors offers combatant commanders (CCDRs) an indirect method for resolving dynamic, highly complex problems and achieving operational-level objectives--a method that, depending on circumstances, can be politically more palatable and practically feasible than employing a traditional, direct approach. The US, lacking any peer competitors able to challenge it militarily, increasingly views the employment of conventional military power as a viable tool to achieve national security objectives. Paradoxically though, US military superiority and the willingness to employ force to accomplish policy objectives abroad may do more to retard than enable the realization of that objective. As a result, the US must develop an alternative approach to the traditional, direct employment of military force that includes less intrusive, indirect methods and emphasizes nontraditional applications of military power. This indirect method should focus on building mutually beneficial relationships with other agents or actors. Working "through, with, or by" non-US actors offers such an alternative, using relationships to build capacity and will in others to promoting the realization of US national security goals. This paper explores "through, with, and by" as a methodology: defining the terms, discussing the methodology's application at the operational-level, and considering the associated implications at the combatant command-level. The indirect methodology of "through, with, and by" seeks to use relationships with non-US actors and shared recognition of a common problem to produce mutually beneficial outcomes. This indirect approach supports achieving US operational objectives without promoting perceptions of US hegemony. Consequently, this methodology offers the CCDR a viable alternative to traditional, direct applications of US military power.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA506185
Entities
People
- Travis L. Homiak
Organizations
- Marine Corps University