Does the Afghan War Need A CEO?
Debating Unity of Command in Afghanistan and Beyond
Article Summary and Author Biography
The U.S. mission in Afghanistan suffers from a lack of common objectives among U.S. agencies, argue Randy George and Dante Paradiso. What the war needs is a single commander to unite civilian and military efforts, they write. Not so, replies James Dobbins: Washington should be loath to move away from its tradition of civilian control of the armed forces.
The Case for a Wartime Chief Executive Officer
Fixing the Interagency Quagmire in Afghanistan
Randy George and Dante Paradiso
No matter the strategy the Obama administration ultimately chooses in Afghanistan, the U.S. mission there would be well-served by vesting command authority in one individual: a U.S. Chief Executive Officer for the war effort.
Unity's Limits
Why Unity of Command Won't Work in Afghanistan
James Dobbins
Even at some short-term cost in efficiency, the United States should not abandon its strong tradition of civilian control over the military for unity of command.
While the US has the largest foreign presence in country by some margin, there are many different foreign powers involved, plus the UN and other multinational/international agencies.