The nature of intervention operations the Western world has primarily engaged in over the last decades, has changed. Destroying the opponent’s (military) capabilities is not sufficient anymore to achieve the primary political strategic goals. In fact, military capabilities are just a minor element of the operational environment. An environment in which adaption is needed to cope with society, politics, economy, culture and (non)governmental organisations.
An adapted way of acting, asks for an adapted organisation. We have to relate to organisations as a system of systems, visualising synergetic effects by a balanced presence of sensors. An organisation which is able to operate in permissive, semi permissive and non permissive environment. In exercises like Uruzgan Integration, Royal Netherlands Army elements are joined together into modular units. These modular units give input in the ability to learn (training, practising, performing their job) from each other.
That is why the Ministry of defence of The Netherland developed the 3-D approach, Diplomacy, Development and Defence. It includes Security Sector Reform, Stabilization, Governance, Development and Reconstruction.
The Royal Netherland Army recognises that modular organised units relate to this 3D approach. They operate in a consistent mix of a permissive, semi-permissive and non-permissive environment. The effect is complementary.
The “Uruzgan Integration” exercise combines the 3D approach. In this exercise the modular units consists of elements like Psychological Support (to inform the Afghan population), Infantry (to provide security for the unit), Provincial Reconstruction (to provide development and Diplomacy in Afghanistan), Reconnaissance (to provide information), Intelligence (to provide the current situation in favour of the unit), Police Mentoring (to educate the Afghan Uniformed police), Military mentoring (to educate the Afghan National Army). All these elements are combined in one unit and are also trained to be aware of the fact that they all are key in influencing the behaviour.
The Army, Navy or Air force are not the key elements in the 3D approach, its main responsibility is to shape the conditions for Diplomacy and Development.
Trying to bring Diplomacy and Development into Afghanistan , The Royal Netherlands Army learned that the overall end state should be a lawful and tolerant Islamic Republic of Afghanistan based on mutual respect for each other where people can life their lives in a safe and secure environment.
The current illiteracy (around 80%) is the main aspect to be aware of. The afghan society is an oral society. The spoken word is the main source for news so the defence against the opponent, which is also the Taliban, is not only military but a multi-faceted, multi-area effort having a long term goal that every Afghan, men and women alike, has the right to be able to write and to read.
The synergy of effort within the 3D approach is in support of the mission for Taskforce Uruzgan objectives. This is based on a comprehensive and systemic understanding of the environment as a whole derived from all source intelligence, and the subsequent analysis of adversaries, potential adversaries and other parties, their objectives, Centres of Gravity (COGs), and end state. Modular organised units are able to provide detailed profiling, target audience and network analysis. This will ascertain the most appropriate and effective and balanced operation. A selection of activities, carefully tailored to the regional circumstances, will form the basis for achieving the objectives we like to reach with our 3D approach.
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