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Preserving Peace and Security

        Promoting peace and security is generally construed as a broad and complex topic. This complexity is partially manifested in terminology, which is often too broad or vague to understand. It creates numerous challenges for multinational communication and for interpreters and translators in particular.

Generally, one can identify three comprehensive categories of military and nonmilitary activities aimed at maintaining international peace and security. They are: operations in support of diplomatic efforts, military operations other than war, and peace operations.

Operations in Support of Diplomatic Efforts[1]

Operations in support of diplomatic efforts are conducted to establish peace and order before, during, and after conflict. These are preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, and peace building. 

Preventive diplomacy consists of diplomatic actions taken in advance of a predictable crisis to prevent or limit violence. An example of military support to preventive diplomacy is the preventive deployment operation “ABLE SENTRY”, where US forces deployed in 1993 in support of the UN effort to limit the spread of fighting in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Peacemaking is the process of diplomacy, mediation, negotiation, or other forms of peaceful settlement that arranges an end to a dispute and resolves the issues that led to conflict. Military support to the peacemaking process may include provision of military expertise to the peacemaking process, military-to-military relations, security assistance, or other activities to influence the disputing parties to seek a diplomatic settlement.

Peace building consists of postconflict actions, predominately diplomatic, economic, and security-related, that strengthen and rebuild governmental infrastructure and institutions in order to avoid a relapse into conflict. Initially, intervening forces may have to assume governing functions and rebuild absent government institutions prior to transitioning to traditional peace building actions. The military force may facilitate demobilization, arms limitation, referenda, national reconciliation, elections, or creation of new governments.

 

Military Operations Other Than War[2]

According to the US views, military operations other than war (MOOTW) encompass the use of military capabilities across the range of military operations short of war. MOOTW can be applied to complement any combination of the other instruments of national power.

To understand MOOTW, it is useful to understand how they differ from operations in war. Although MOOTW and war may often seem similar in action, MOOTW focus on deterring war and promoting peace while war encompasses large-scale, sustained combat operations to achieve national objectives or to protect national interests. MOOTW are more sensitive to political considerations and often the military may not be the primary player.

MOOTW are initiated by the National Command Authorities and are usually, but not always, conducted outside of the United States. All military personnel should understand the political objective and the potential impact of inappropriate actions. Commanders should remain aware of changes not only in the operational situation, but also of changes in political objectives that may warrant a change in military operations.

Types of MOOTW[3]

The main purpose of arms control is to enhance national security. U.S. military personnel may be involved in an arms control treaty, or escorting authorized deliveries of weapons and other materials to preclude loss or unauthorized use of these assets.

Combating terrorism. These measures are both offensive (counterterrorism) and defensive (antiterrorism) in nature. The former typically occurs outside the territory of the United States, while the latter may occur anywhere in the world.

Support to counterdrug operations includes detection and monitoring, support to cooperative foreign governments, support for drug interdiction, support to drug enforcement agencies, internal drug prevention and C4I support.

The main objective of nation assistance is to assist a host nation (HN) with programs to promote stability, develop sustainability, and establish institutions responsive to the needs of the people. The primary means of providing nation assistance is through security assistance and foreign internal defense. Security assistance (SA) refers to a group of programs that provides defense articles and services, including training, to foreign countries that further U.S. national security objectives. Foreign internal defense (FID) supports a HN’s fight against lawlessness, subversion, and insurgency.

The purpose of noncombatant evacuation operations (NEO) is to safely and quickly remove civilian noncombatants from an area outside the United States where they are, or may be, threatened.

Civil support operations encompass worldwide humanitarian assistance, military support to civil authorities and military assistance for civil disturbances.

U.S. support to insurgencies can be overt, low visibility, clandestine, or covert. It is provided to an organized movement aimed at the overthrow of a constituted government through use of subversion and armed conflict[4]. Support to counterinsurgency is provided to a government in the military, paramilitary, political, economic, psychological, and civic actions it undertakes to defeat insurgency. Each support program is conducted as a special activity within the meaning of section 3.4 (h) of Executive Order 12333, 4 December 1981, “U.S. Intelligence Activities,” and is subject to approval by the U.S. Congress.

Plans for MOOTW are prepared in a similar manner as plans for war. Of particular importance in the planning process is the development of a clear definition, understanding, and appreciation for all potential threats. Commanders should always plan to have the right mix of forces available to quickly transition to combat operations or evacuate.