Several quick and semi-incoherent thoughts:

  • Why "confront" the sheikhs? It some cases might it not be sway, coopt, or some other (less combative) verb? Also, if you're writing this for broader significance than Iraq, you might want to be wary about implying that tribal leaderships are equally relevant in all places.
  • Can "humanitarian assistance" always be held to 4e? Might it not have to come much sooner in some cases?
  • Are the subpoints meant to be sequential (in which case I would move up 4c, or collapse it into 4a), or simultaneous?
  • Should Step 1 also point to the need to seek information from sources beyond boots on the ground and local leadership engagement? This could include NGOs, SME, neighbouring areas, or even the unit that you just RIPed.
  • "Transition to FID" can mean many things, some of which overlap considerably with 4c (Establish a Police or constabulary force).
  • 4a (a. Restore Governance) assumes that there was (central government) governance before the insurgency (dubious in parts of Afghanistan, it seems to me), and becomes problematic in those cases where NOT being governed by the central government in a desire of much of the local population (parts of Afghanistan, Somalia, etc).