The Transition to an Independent Southern Sudan: How Should the U.S. Military Posture to Influence and Deter Factors that May Cause Regional Instability?

Abstract

The factors ultimately leading to the secession and the anticipated independence of Southern Sudan, from the Government of Sudan, find their foundation in the nation's history, culture, and resource exploitation. As the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is concluded, and the fragile peace settles almost 40 years of civil war, these two nations must understand how to collaborate to continue peace and economic development. Numerous factors and international players are influencing the equilibrium between peace and war. One of these international actors is the United States, which has applied a whole of government approach to stabilizing Southern Sudan and the surrounding region. While the US is applying all national instruments of power, the application of the military instrument of power offers a number of options to stabilize the region. These options must be balanced against international perceptions, US political considerations, and financial obligations. This paper considers and evaluates those possible options against the factors influencing the instability and provides recommendations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 10, 2011
Accession Number
ADA547433

Entities

People

  • Grant A. Fish

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Civil War
  • Department Of State
  • Employment
  • Foreign Aid
  • Geography
  • Governments
  • Humanitarian Assistance
  • Logistics
  • Military Applications
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • History
  • Sociology

Readers

  • International Relations and Conflict Resolution
  • Strategic Security Studies