A Whole of Government Approach to Stability Operations and Counterinsurgencies

The current US grand strategy of defeating, dismantling and disrupting Al-Qaeda and other violent transnational extremists, currently the focus in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has evolved into a COIN and stability strategy prosecuted at a level and spectrum unprecedented in US history. In many ways we have committed to a national COIN and stability strategy. Supporting a successful COIN campaign within a stability context requires a whole of government approach on a scale unparalleled in our nations history. Despite some positive approaches, there has been no concerted effort from a national policy level to harness and direct the full effects of all instruments of national power. We have taken a mostly singular Military approach when the true answer lies in applying Diplomatic, Informational, Military, Economic, Financial, Intelligence and Law Enforcement DIMEFIL elements in an integrated and unified effort. Concomitantly there are several policy changes required to integrate the instruments of national power along with definitive actions to harness those actions into a unified whole of government approach.