Accession Number:

ADA235697

Title:

Preparing the Western Alliance for the Next Out-of-Area Campaign: Linking NATO and the WEU

Descriptive Note:

Final rept.

Corporate Author:

ARMY WAR COLL STRATEGIC STUDIES INST CARLISLE BARRACKS PA

Personal Author(s):

• Young, Thomas D.

Report Date:

1991-04-05

Pagination or Media Count:

33.0

Abstract:

The Desert ShieldDesert Storm campaign demonstrated once again the inherent strength of the Western Alliance to respond to challenges to common security interests. Nonetheless, the efforts on the part of the Western European Union WEU, while supportive of the overall goals of the Western Alliance, were disruptive in regard to command and control during the allied buildup in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf. The question U.S. officials and planners must now confront is how the WEU can be brought into a framework whereby its interest in meeting security challenges outside of Europe can be closely coordinated with North America and existing expertise in NATO. This study argues that one possible solution would be to form a joint NATO-WEU planning headquarters for the purpose of maintaining interoperability and general plans for such campaigns, should the political authorities of alliance members so agree.

Descriptors:

• *WESTERN EUROPE
• NATO
• EUROPE
• IRAQ
• PERSIAN GULF
• SECURITY
• PLANNING
• COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS
• SAUDI ARABIA
• NORTH AMERICA
• MILITARY OPERATIONS
• INTEROPERABILITY

Subject Categories:

• Government and Political Science
• Geography
• Military Operations, Strategy and Tactics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE