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The Role of United States Air Power in Peacekeeping

By: Major Brooks L. Bash, USAF

This study first provides a general discussion of peacekeeping and constructs a comprehensive framework to categorize and analyze the role of air power in peacekeeping. Next, several recommendations are presented concerning command and control, doctrine, and organizational issues. In the end, this study concludes that the role of air power in peacekeeping is primarily auxiliary. Nevertheless, among the potential US contributions to UN peacekeeping, air power may be the best medium as it offers capabilities different from those currently available to UN forces. Moreover, the use of airpower, as opposed to ground peacekeeping forces, will reduce the risk to American lives. Finally, the expanded use of air power in UN peacekeeping presents an opportunity to demonstrate US leadership and resolve while avoiding the perception of dominating the show. ...

1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . 1 Notes . . . . 2 2 DISCUSSION OF PEACEKEEPING . . . . 5 Peacekeeping Defined . . . . . . . 6 The Use of Force for Self-defense . . . . . 6 The Principles of Consent and Impartiality . . . . 7 Principle of Effective Military Support . . . . . . 8 Additional Principles . . . . 8 Peacekeeping and International Conflict Control . . . . . 8 Peacekeeping in the 21st Century . . . . . 10 Notes . . . . 12 3 AIR POWER AND PEACEKEEPING . . . . 15 Operational Analysis . . . . 17 Command and Control . . . . . . . 17 Communications . . . . . . 19 Intelligence . . . . . 21 Mobility . . . . . . . 24 Force Protection . . . . . . 26 Putting It Together—Military Effectiveness . . . . . . . 27 Notes . . . . 28 4 RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . 31 Notes . . . . 34 5 CONCLUSION . . . . 37 Notes . . . . 38 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . 39...

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