Avoiding Praetorian Societies: Focusing U.S. Strategy on Political Development
Abstract
Fragile states and their impacts upon global security and stability remain important challenges in the strategic environment. Therefore, American stability and reconstruction activities are crucial tools to U.S. National Security Strategy. America s success rate at conducting stability and reconstruction operations is mixed. Despite immense efforts undertaken in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a decade of doctrine and strategy development, the creation of politically stable states eludes the U.S., partner nations, and international allies. America must improve this track record. This paper argues that weaknesses in U.S. stability and reconstruction operations are intellectual in nature. The U.S military, and to some extent the broader U.S. government, doesn t enunciate in official doctrine the centrality and causes of political instability in fragile states, and consequently stability and reconstruction operations are planned and executed devoid of political development efforts. United States military doctrine and strategy must acknowledge the centrality of political development, understand the critical role of input institutions in political stability, and make efforts to foster these institutions in stability and reconstruction operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA602183
Entities
People
- Bruce Ferrell
Organizations
- United States Army War College