Public reporting burder for this collection of information is estibated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing this collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burder to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. Weak and failed states, not strong ones, have become the primary source of international instability, and they have attracted US Military intervention because they have become shelters and breeding grounds for such transnational threats as terrorism, drug-trafficking, refugee generation, environmental degradation, and political and religious extremism.
REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY
2Obvious to a majority of casual observers and professionals alike, is the fact that the current administration is trying to scale back the overall size of our military force. Its intention to move to a more capabilities based force that relies upon improved technologies to strike swiftly and overmatch enemies will certainly mean force structure cuts. These cuts will most likely occur in terms of overall force size and decreases in overall manpower. As these cuts occur and the number of peacekeeping operations simultaneously increases there will be a significant increase in Operational Tempo (OPTEMPO). In light of this pending OPTEMPO increase, it is vital that the United States, as the world's premier super power, take a critical look at options available to fulfill its international obligations to provide viable and well trained peacekeepers.Multinational coalition operations will dominate as the norm for all future endeavors under taken by our armed forces. "The substitution of weak for strong states as the primary source of international political instability means that irregular wars within weak states rather than conventional wars among powerful states now dominate." 3 Regardless whether the coalitions are for warfighting or peacekeeping, the United States will be expected to provide key support to ensure world stability and peace.2 Specific capabilities and skill sets are necessary for peacekeeping operations to be successful. Our armed forces have many of these required skills, but not all. Each and every time an American armed force unit is summoned to fulfill the role of peacekeeper, there is an inherent responsibility to ensure it is properly trained and equipped. The training contains tasks that are not part of its day to day wa...
