US Approach to Stabilization and Application to Afghanistan Strategy
US Approach to Stabilization and Application to Afghanistan Strategy
Speaker: Robinson, L. (RAND)
Date: 20 June 2018
Speaker Session Preview
SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Ms. Linda Robinson (RAND) as a part of its SMA CENTCOM (Afghanistan) Speaker Series. Ms. Robinson focused on her DoD-sponsored RAND study on stabilization entitled “Finding the Right Balance: DoD Roles in Stabilization,” as well as its application to US policy and Afghanistan and South Asia strategy. The report concluded that a re-scoping of DoD policies would likely provide a better approach towards stabilization than the current one and affirmed the importance of supporting organic versus imposed processes. Furthermore, she spoke about how RAND’s evaluation of past experiences, current capability, and current capacity of stabilization efforts concluded that the DoD should “prioritize stabilization as a mission but focus on and improve its performance in three areas.” These three areas are: prioritizing security stability functions; providing support to other stability functions; and performing cross-cutting informational, coordination, and physical support roles. Ms. Robinson proceeded to outline the report’s other key findings and recommended revisions to DoD stabilization policy. She concluded the session by explaining the evolution of DoD stabilization policy and the application of these developments and findings to South Asia strategy.
Linda Robinson
Linda Robinson is a senior international policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. Her areas of expertise include irregular warfare, stabilization, and special operations forces. Her current research centers on implementation of the national defense strategy, Pakistan, the Islamic State, and campaign assessment methodology. She has traveled in and written extensively about Afghanistan, Iraq, and Latin America. Her work for the U.S. military includes campaign assessments, operational histories, organizational evaluations, and joint concept development. Her 2018 RAND publications include “Finding the Right Balance: DoD Roles in Stabilization,” “Modern Political Warfare: Current Practices and Possible Responses,” and “Improving the Understanding of Special Operations Forces.” Her trade books include One Hundred Victories: Special Ops and the Future of American Warfare (2013), Tell Me How This Ends (2008), Masters of Chaos (2004) and Intervention or Neglect (1991). She is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and previously served on the National Defense University board of visitors and as chair of the Army War College board of visitors. Robinson’s Afghanistan-specific work includes covering the hunt for bin Laden as a journalist, forming and leading an AFPAK SME Cell for US CENTCOM 2009-2011, Pashtun reconciliation in RC-S, a book about VSO/ALP 2011-2013, and research support to SOJTF-A.
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