of the environment. The success of the UN missions in Haiti
and Liberia benefitted greatly from the USG efforts, and such
mission are likely to grow in the future.
terrible atrocities common in South Sudan, peace will not be
on the horizon anytime soon. Enhanced political engagement
is necessary to increase the mission’s effectiveness. Gender
inequality and race discrimination are major hindrances to
The UN and US have a quasi-symbiotic relationship in Peace-
mission progress. In order to resolve the conflict, the mission
keeping missions as both elements need each other as each
must gain a greater understanding of the local culture, and as a
brings unique capabilities and experience to a Peacekeeping mis- result the people, so mission objectives will align with local ex-
sion. Modern day peacekeeping missions have become increas-
pectations and desires, increasing the potential for Host Nation
ingly complex covering a range of activities from stabilization,
popular support.
state building, counter insurgency and counter terrorism to
Responsibility 2 Protect, all of which require different expertise, Way Forward
but peacekeepers are tasked with carrying them all out. The UN
continues to broaden the base of peace operations.
Many of the considerations and concepts incepted at the AUSA
round table helped shape the thematic discussions and topics in
Cohesion increases the opportunity for success in missions,
the PSOTEW WGs, specifically those dealing with “Identifying
which was underscored by General Dempsey’s words stressing
characteristics of sustainable stability curricula”, “Transitional
the importance of “standing together”. US military presence on Public Security”, “Training for Senior Leaders in an Advisory
UN peacekeeping missions is a show of political force, which
Role”, and the less apparent application of Responsibility to
enhances the credibility and capabilities of the UN force. The
Protect, which encompasses “Women Peace and Security”.
incorporation of US military on UN missions would also
The findings from the 2017 PSOTEW will subsequently drive
embolden mission participants, leading to greater efficiency. The discussions at the 2017 AUSA round table discussion entitled
US military would benefit from participation in UN missions
“AFRICOM: 10 years in the making as a model for Stability
by testing deployment readiness, honing skills, and gaining
Activities”, which will be held 18 September from 0900-1645 at
valuable leadership experience. A US military presence would
AUSA. This panel discussion will address whole-of-government
also provide an opportunity to interact with new partner
progress in the PSO environment with a focus on AFRICOM.
nations, which may not have occurred otherwise.
To kick off the discussion, PKSOI will present their findings
from a U.S. Army War College Integrated Research Project
US involvement in UN missions will likely be small contin-
(IRP) on improving a whole of government approach to crisis
gents. The three options for the USG to take in the face of a
using AFRICOM as a case study. A panel of experts will use
crisis are: do nothing, do everything or work with partners.
the IRP findings as a template for comparison with some of
Somalia is an example of doing nothing, as DoD was forces to
the emerging challenges within the AFRICOM theater, while
change their tactics to deal with the Al-Shabbab threat. The
applying a whole-of-government approach to fulfilling natio-
complexity of peacekeeping missions is such that every mission
nal interests. A second panel will apply the principles from the
needs to be looked at differently. Present day peacekeeping op-
IRP project to a Lake Chad Basin case study to determine
erations are unlike previous post-conflict operations and more
whether they would alter the existing strategy for that region.
resemble stabilization operations today. Any peacekeeping op-
A third panel will explore the opportunities and challenges
eration with US military involvement, always results in a more
that await AFRICOM and its partners in the coming decade
capable Host Nation military force, creating a more reliable
and beyond.
partner in the future
The state of affairs in South Sudan is problematic, but not unre-
solvable. The greatest challenge to the peacekeeping mission is
a difference between the language of the charter and the actual
capacity of the mission. The rebels and involved groups have
good massing power, and the involved groups are not only the
government and opposition, but the militias and the tribes as
well. Because the individual South Sudanese’s allegiance is to
the sub tribe and the tribe first, any concept of nationalism is
a secondary motivator. The UN peacekeeping forces are not
adequately supported, and bad weather and poor infrastructure
often makes the mission logistically immobile. Recounting the
6
Abdullah Rumman from Paki-
stan is an intern at PKSOI at
USAWC in Carlisle, PA. He
is entering his sophomore year
at Dickinson College, where
he is majoring in International
Studies with a focus on Inter-
national Development. He
hopes to work of an Interna-
tional or Non-Governmental
Organization in the future.