Campaign Planning for Peace Enforcement Operations

This monograph examines various campaign planning considerations for peace enforcement operations. Peace enforcement, which is the use of military force to either restore or compel peace, is becoming more prevalent, particularly as the United Nations continues to expand its influence in world crisis situations. Additionally, many peacekeeping scenarios find themselves drifting into a hostile environment. However, whether working under the auspices of the United Nations or not, there is not a significant amount of material to draw on when designing a campaign scenario. This monograph builds on existing doctrine to fill that void. The monograph first looks at some of the key definitions involved in peace operations. It then examines the peace enforcement environment, building the case that it is distinctly different from either peacekeeping or war. Four key components of peace enforcement are consent, sovereignty, legitimacy and neutrality. Each has ties to peacekeeping and combat operations, yet each is distinctive for peace enforcement. The monograph then looks at various classical and revolutionary theories of war, showing that peace enforcement combines elements of both. Since the role of force is critical in peace enforcement operations, this area is studied, with emphasis on the role of airpower. The monograph then examines the current doctrine available for assisting the campaign planner. Building on this base, various key considerations are discussed. An appendix contains a list of items pertinent to planning peace enforcement operations to provide a starting point for the campaign planner. The monograph concludes that while doctrine on peace enforcement operations is emerging, more needs to be done. In particular, a solid definitional and doctrinal base, especially from the United Nations, is needed. Additionally, training in some of the unique complexities of these operations needs continued emphasis.