Today's Operational Challenge

<p>Operations short of war which are often dangerous and challenging are a big concern for today's Armed Forces. Also important is the study of operational art. The linkage between these two concepts not yet fully developed is critical. Defining victory perhaps the most complex problem with the linkage is the subject of this study. This analysis centers on the three essential questions of operational art in FM 100-5 Operations. These questions define victory for the operational commander. They are: (1) What military condition must be produced in the theater of war or theater of operations to achieve the strategic goal? (2) What sequence of actions is most likely to produce that condition? (3) How should the resources of the force be applied to accomplish that sequence of actions? The questions are probed using the strategic-operational military-civilian and operational-tactical interfaces. These affect the definition of victory in operations short of war. Each interface is analyzed considering its affect on the questions mentioned above. The paper is conceptual. No specific campaign is studied but a variety of examples from recent operations short of war such as Vietnam the Iran hostage rescue mission the Grenada operation the raid In Libya and current operations in the Persian Gulf and NATO provide insights for the analysis. This monograph examines the complexity of operations short of war. This complexity leads to two deductions. First actions in theaters of operations short of war qualify as operational art. Second doctrine is inadequate in addressing the complexities these operations entail. The monograph also finds that the military-civilian interface is critical to success in these operations. Like it or not operational commanders in operations short of war must understand and cope with policy policy-makers and the media. Preparing commanders for this role requires emphasis. In the end this study concludes that victory for an operational command</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>