The Missing Phase: The Need for a New Stability Phase in Modern Combat Operations

Abstract

Abstract : The U.S. public has come to expect that its troops will rapidly return home following decisive military victories in foreign lands. In Iraq, however, U.S. troops have not been able to rapidly return home. On the contrary, the U.S. has more troops deployed to Iraq now, during the stability operations phase, than it did during the major combat operations phase. Furthermore, although U.S. forces suffered approximately 150 deaths during the initial weeks of major combat operations, they lost almost seven times that number during the first year and a half of postwar stability The unanticipated number of troops lost during stability operations indicates that a combat phase is missing. A new combat phase must be incorporated to address stability operations in order to both reduce U.S. casualties, and inform civilian and military personnel of the length and intricacies involved in reaching stability. With rapidly advancing technology and an absence of equally equipped foreign threats, it is likely that stability operations will last longer and be more difficult than major combat This paper proposes adding a new phase termed major combat stability enforcement to follow the current third phase major combat operations and end prior to the beginning of the current fourth phase post war stability operations. Additionally, this paper discusses adjusting Joint Guidance to reflect stability operations and the coordination required between the military and interagency organizations to facilitate better planning and execution of stability