Strategic Intelligence and Civil Affairs to Understand Legitimacy and Insurgency Avoiding the Stabilization Trap

This book describes the common pitfalls of U.S. military interventions in efforts at stabilization, which supports post-conflict societies by establishing stable governance, rule of law, a safe and secure environment, economic development and social well-being for all members of the population. These efforts are often unsuccessful and can even cause harm when mission teams do not understand both the populations with whom they are engaging and policymakers. The book recommends prioritizing a relational approach to stabilization with a professional and well-resourced Civil Affairs and strategic intelligence approach to engagements over the current preference for transactional, often lethal operations.

Chapter 1. Legitimacy and Governance in Stabilization

Legitimacy and Insurgency

Legitimacy and Alternative Governance

Chapter 2. The Stabilization Trap

Managing Legitimacy to Avoid the Stabilization Trap

The State vs The Nation: The Case of the United States of America

Legitimacy and Complexity

Chapter 3. Contemporary Vulnerabilities To Legitimacy

The Tangibles

Corruption

Opposition to Foreign Influence

Outrage

Specific Grievances

The Intangibles

Chauvinism

Crowd Power

Identity

How Legitimacy Is Lost

Chapter 4. Recommendations for Regaining Legitimacy

Recommendation 1: Use Civil Affairs to Evade the Stabilization Trap

Recommendation 2: Re-establish Strategic Intelligence to Inform Policy Development

Conclusion

Diane E. Chido is President of DC Analytics, a former Intelligence Studies instructor with Mercyhurst University, and former Intelligence Advisor to the U.S. Army’s Peace Keeping and Stability Operations Institute (PKSOI). Diane has worked in stabilization for over 25 years on socio-cultural issues including legitimacy, alternative governance and ethnic conflict.