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Events
Perspectives on the Civil-Military Nexus in Afghanistan and beyond
This event will bring together leaders, policy-makers and international organizations together for an open and frank discussion on the challenges posed by stabilization operations.
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Cusps_Report.pdf Comparative
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Related RUSI articles
The Role of Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Stabilization
This article identifies the fundamentals of stability and conceptualises the role and activities of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in delivering stability at the provincial level.
 NATO in Afghanistan: Transformation on the Front Line
Although the magnitude of the challenge in Afghanistan may, at times, appear overwhelming, NATO can and must succeed.
 Calibrating Ink Spots: Filling Afghanistan's Ungoverned Spaces
Despite the generally accepted picture of approaching catastrophe in Afghanistan, the reality is, in fact, very different.
 Experimenting for Operations on the Cusps
Transitional periods in conflicts are the most problematic – these may be where the cusps lie.
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Cusps Operations Project

It has become readily apparent that military force does not equal victory in conventional conflicts. As events in the Balkans, Middle East and Afghanistan illustrate, war is no longer neatly compartmentalized. Today, war is non-linear. It encompasses armed conflict, developmental challenges, communications issues and humanitarian relief. As such, militaries acting alone cannot fix many of the security problems that plague today's world.

Solider

Despite the recognition of this fact, coordination between international organizations, non-governmental organizations and military forces is often far from optimal. The problem is well known, the solutions are not. Much time and effort has been devoted to reforming counter-insurgency doctrine, but substantially less work has been done exploring how to better civil-military relations.

The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies therefore launched in 2006 the RUSI Project on Civil-Military Relations to explore this specific piece of the puzzle that is 'unconventional warfare', with the direct intent of producing policy recommendations for NATO governments. 

However, many of the participants in the project felt that civil-military was too narrow a descriptor for the topic of discussion. Others believed that civil-military relations carried a very specific connotation. For this reason the project was renamed in the Cups Operations Project (COP).  This term, which harkens back to RUSI earlier research in this area, is more analytical and carries less baggage. It also accurately reflects the different points of transition in current military operations:

  • The points of transition within the cycle of conflict;
  • The transitions between institutional capabilities and areas of responsibility;
  • The transitions between familiar military conceptual and doctrinal constructs;
  • The points of transition between categories of strategic challenge;
  • The points of transition between strategic, operational and ‘virtual’ levels of action

Related COP Publications

Please note that RUSI is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Programme Report

Comparative Perspectives on Civil-Military Relations in Conflict Zones

RUSI Analysis

Links to RUSI publications are available to the right.

Summary of Civil-Military Project Workshop I (May 24-25)

Summary of Civil-Military Project Workshop II

Summary of Civil-Military Project Workshop III

Capabilities and Assets for Civil-Military Projects in Afghanistan

Official Documents

NATO Civil-Military Co-operation (CIMIC) Doctrine
NATO

NATO Military Policy on Civil-Military Co-operation
NATO International Military Staff

The DCDC Global Strategic Trends Programme
UK Ministry of Defence

Joint Doctrine Publication 3-90: Civil-Military Co-Operation
UK Ministry of Defence

The Comprehensive Approach: Joint Discussion Note
UK Ministry of Defence

Military Support for Stability, Security, Transition, and Reconstruction (SSTR) Operations (Directive 3000.5)
US Department of Defense

Mananagement of Interagency Efforts Concerning Reconstruction and Stabilization (Directive NSPD-44)
The White House

NGO Documents

The ICRC and Civil-Military Cooperation in Situations of Armed Conflict
Jean-Daniel Tauxe

Security on the Cheap: PRTs in Afghanistan
Larry Thompson and Michelle Brown

Provincial Reconstruction Teams and Humanitarian–Military Relations in Afghanistan
Save the Children UK

Guidelines for Relations Between US Armed Forces and Non-Governmental Humanitarian Organizations in Hostile or Potentially Hostile Environments
USIP

Independent Analysis

A Holistic Approach to the War on Terror?
Michael Aaronson

Counter Terrorism Seminar (November, 2005)
Civil-Military Co-operation Centre of Excellence

Gender and Civil-Military Relations: Moving Towards Inclusion?
Civil-Military Co-operation Centre of Excellence

NATO Provincial Reconstruction Teams: ISAF PRT operations in Afghanistan and the implications and consequences for civil-military relations
Civil-Military Co-operation Centre of Excellence

Partners Apart: Managing Civil-Military Co-operation in Humanitarian Interventions
Catriona Gourlay

PRTs in Afghanistan: Successful but not Sufficient
Peter Viggo Jakobsen

NATO Comprehensive Civil-Military Interaction
Paul LaRose-Edwards

NATO as a Trusted Partner in Civil-Military Interaction
Paul LaRose-Edwards

Civil-Military Cooperation in Multinational and Interagency Operations
Kristin M Haugevik and Benjamin de Carvalho

The Evolution of Canadian Civil-Military Cooperation
Graham M Longhurst

Stabilization and Reconstruction in Afghanistan: Are PRTs a Model or a Muddle?
Michael J McNerney

Civil-Military Cooperation in Peace Operations: The Case of Kosovo
Thomas R Mockaitis

How Should NATO Handle Stabilisation Operations and Reconstruction Efforts?
C Richard Nelson

The U.S. Experience with Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan
Robert M Perito

Civil-Military Cooperation: A New Tool for Peacekeepers
Sean Pollick

Aid During Conflict: Interaction Between Military and Civilian Assistance
RAND Corporation

The Beginner’s Guide to Nation-Building
RAND Corporation

Civil-Military Relations in Afghanistan: The Provincial Reconstruction Team Debate
Mark Sedrai

Coalition Stability Operations Project: A Working Paper
US Center for Research and Education on Strategy and Technology

Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Afghanistan: Filling the Gaps in Peacebuilding
Yuji Uesugi



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