Tale of Two Army Doctrines: Which Way Forward

摘要

This paper examines two strategies for fighting limited wars and attempts to illustrate how the context of the conflict and the ethos of the United States should fashion an appropriate strategy. The two strategies juxtaposed in this paper are Peace Operations and Counterinsurgency. Although similar in application at the tactical level of war, these two strategies vary widely at the strategic and operational level of war and impact significantly on the legitimacy of the intervening parties, international support, and the host government. Through an examination of American history, values, and biases this study concludes that a strategy of peace operations is more effective at delivering a lasting stability and eventual peace than counterinsurgency operations. Peace operations allow for legitimate self-determination and a lasting peaceful resolution of the underlying cause of the conflict.