Guiding Principles: DoS & S/CRS new stability doctrine

While doing research for a paper, I came across Guiding Principles for Stabilization and Reconstruction by the US Institute of Peace and the US Army Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute (http://www.usip.org/files/resources/...iples_full.pdf). What caught my attention was that Ambassoador Herbst, head of DOS's Office for the Coordinator for Stability and Reconstruction (S/CRS), stated on DipNote in November, 2009 that Guiding Principles was the new doctrine for S/CRS. A civilian doctrine for stability operations?
The document is surprising comprehensive, fairly detailed, and well-nested with FM 3-07's "stability tasks" and S/CRS's "stability sectors." While we hear a lot about the shortcomings of the "whole of government" approach and the failings of interagency "unity of effort," I think this document is a step in the right direction. I'd encourage anyone interested in the civilian side of stability operations to take a look at Guiding Principles.

MAJ Buckeye
Student, SAMS, US Army
Fort Leavenworth, KS

Coupla points.

1. If State and/or the interagency are developing doctrine, then that's a major step in the right direction. In the past, when we talked about doctrine w/them they weren't very responsive. The general feeling was that doctrine was a military thing, too restrictive, too anti-intellectual (OK, that's a little editorializing).

2. As FM 3-07 was developed, the authors looked at State's reconstruction tasks, then distilled out what the military components might logically be. Therefore, the nesting was part of the original gameplan. Additionally, members of State, USAID and others got to take their cuts at 3-07, so that influence is also reflected.

Still, if State is moving forward with stability doctrine, then bless them. As they like to say, "I am cautiously optimistic."