The Art of Peace
Abstract
As a career soldier, I have studied the art of war, yet most of what I learned from the great warriors of history did not prepare me for the reality that I had faced in Afghanistan and Iraq. My deployed experiences taught me that I had trained for victory in combat, but had not prepared for the challenges of maneuvering through the quagmire of building peace. I now realize that building peace is the required means to accomplish the strategic end. My experience has taught me that disabling enemy networks is only a fraction of the problem, and that more time, energy, and effort should be placed on enabling friendly networks. A singular security focus will often enable enemy networks through disenfranchising the populace. To accomplish the strategic aim of building a stable Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIROA), the United States should apply the appropriate strategic means. Learning the right lessons from history illustrate the importance of peacebuilding and the need for the U.S. Military to study beyond the art of war and to learn the art of peace. This paper analyzes three areas that require further development and reflection to educate military leaders in the art of peace and peacebuilding methods that will build a stable and sovereign Afghanistan: (1) Educating warriors in the art of peace by learning the relevant lessons from history; (2) If you focus on the enemy, you will ignore the threat; and (3) Build instruments of peace not war.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA565464
Entities
People
- Walter E. Piatt
Organizations
- Georgetown University