Peace by Committee: Command and Control Issues in Multinational Peace Enforcement Operations

The United States has been involved in peace enforcement operations for many years. This evolution continues and gives offensive airpower the advantage over the defense. Focusing on command and control, the issues can be loosely grouped into categories of force and command structure, political impacts, and interoperability. In force and command structure, the US has not come to grips with the difficulties of operating in a multinational coalition under international (e.g., United Nations)control. The problems of dual lines of control and Byzantine command structures plagued both the Dominican and Somalia operations. The ability to integrate humanitarian relief and nation-building forces effectively into the overall structure has deteriorated rather than improved. Stand-by, earmarked forces, combined exercises (including nonmilitary agencies), and stronger civil-military integration cells could help mitigate difficulties, but they need to be pursued more vigorously.