Conflict Termination or Conflict Transformation. Rethinking the Operational Planning Paradigm

摘要

There has been a significant focus in recent years on the idea of conflict termination. The context of 21st century warfare, however, requires a new conceptual framework and the replacement of outdated and inaccurate terminology. Instead of continuing to consider conflict termination in planning, adopting the concept of 'Conflict Transformation' as a primary element in operational design will more effectively combine the relevant aspects of termination with the emerging concept of Security, Stability, Transition, and Reconstruction (SSTR) Operations. Ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan reflect a transformational approach to conflict that must be codified. As SSTR operations become increasingly critical to operational success, conflict transformation offers a better framework to link current doctrine with this emerging concept. This will more precisely reflect what is operationally possible and more accurately denote what is operationally intended. By combining the relevant elements of termination with the emerging SSTR concept into the operational design framework offered by conflict transformation, operational planning can be more effectively focused.