Conflict Management: A Tool for U.S. National Security Strategy
Abstract
On February 25, 2011, Kennesaw State University and the Strategic Studies Institute hosted the Symposium "Conflict Management: A Tool for U.S. National Security Strategy." The three panels conducted over the course of the day covered the following topics: "Responding to New Foreign Policy and National Security Threats," "WOG Prospects and Challenges," and "WOG Lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan." The Symposium discussions ranged from the conceptual to the practical with a focus on the challenges and desirability of interagency cooperation in international interventions. The panelists shared their experiences and expertise on the question of the Whole-of-Government (WOG) approach and the impact of fragile and failing states on national security concerns. The panelists engaged the audience in a discussion that included viewpoints from academia, the military, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. Despite the broad range of viewpoints, a number of overarching themes and tentative agreements emerged. The first panel linked emerging national security concerns to an overall question about the necessity and efficacy of WOG approaches for responding to a range of emerging threats and explored the need for new response mechanisms. Panel 2 addressed some of the practical challenges of implementing WOG approaches in U.S. intervention efforts in fragile states. The panelists generally agreed that there are key structural problems with the WOG approach. Panel 3 examined the ability to learn and apply lessons from two major interventions -- Iraq and Afghanistan -- to potential future interventions and addressed the fact that cultural differences make the transfer of such lessons as well as skills difficult, if not impossible.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 06, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA548904
Entities
People
- Mackenzie Duelge
- Volker Franke
Organizations
- United States Army War College