Elusive Pursuit of an End State

摘要

The concern of military commanders to receive a clearly defined end state from National Command Authorities prior to entering into a military conflict is understandable, but perhaps not realistic. A vision of a military end state which a commander incorporates into his statement of intent is not only appropriate but necessary to properly plan. However, the military end state is not the same as the strategic end state desirable to bring a conflict to a complete and successful end. It may not be possible to specify such an end state well in advance with precision. In fact, the very notion of an end state in some conflicts may be unrealistic. Military planners should not confuse the military end state with a final end state. Even after the termination of hostilities much work will remain to be done and the military still has an important role to play.