The Program for Security, Stability, Transition, and Reconstruction SSTaR

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The Program for Security, Stability, Transition,
and Reconstruction (SSTaR)

• Dr. Ann L. Phillips
• Program Director Professor of National Security
  Studies
• George C. Marshall European Center for Security
  Studies

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SSTaR

• Host George C. Marshall European Center
• Location Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
• Duration 2.5 weeks
• Resident
• Web page www.marshallcenter.org

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COURSE GOALS

• To develop a greater understanding in participant
  countries of the fundamental requirements for
  successful SSTR operations.
• To enhance understanding and cooperation between
  the different military and civilian agencies and
  organizations involved in global SSTR operations.
  
• To identify and disseminate best practices in
  planning, organizing and executing SSTR
  operations.
• To share sources of information and expertise on
  SSTR operations and develop a network of
  colleagues in other ministries and countries to
  facilitate the planning and execution of SSTR
  operations

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Distinguishing Features

• Broad range of topics covered
• NGO Panel
• Media Panel
• Panel of recipients of SR assistance
• Private corporations in SSTROpro and contra
• Case studies
• Mix of U.S and European, civilian and military
  expert speakers

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Distinguishing Features 2

• Taught in English only
• International participants
• forty-five officials in the ranks of lieutenant
  colonel or colonel (or civilian equivalent).
• The participants come from countries that are
• Major or potentially major contributors to SSTR
  Operations, or
• Located in or related to areas that have
  potential for future SSTR Operations

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Methodology

• Mix of reading, lecture and discussion
• Contending and comparative experience and
  analysis
• Case studies
• Table top exercise

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CORE THEMES

• Awareness of social, political, and institutional
  culture is of paramount importance.
• Strategic communications must be constant and
  pervasive Information Operations must drive the
  actions, not the reverse.
• Local ownership of all functions of SSTR is a
  critical goal.
• The components of stability are interdependent
  sequencing them properly is essential but
  situation dependent.
• Mission mandates must be designed to enable an
  identified and agreed end state, or the operation
  will be vulnerable to strategic drift and
  mission creep.

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Core Themes 2

• Continual assessment is necessary the situation
  shifts during the course of SSTRO.
• All efforts must be evaluated in terms of their
  effect on the desired endstate.
• All SSTR are by nature interagency, and
  collaboration in that environment requires
  specialized knowledge and team-building skills.
• All SSTROs are ultimately about legitimacy,
  whether of a local government, a peace regime, or
  the forces and agencies carrying out the mandate
  building legitimacy is key.

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Gaps

• Speakers from AU and ECOWAS
• Participants from West Europe
• Participants from Development Agencies
• Sufficient Participation from MFAs

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Impediments to SSTR Success

• Deficits in Regional and Language Expertise
• The Academy and Government privilege functional
  expertise over area expertise
• Based on false assumptions about transferability
• English is the language of SSTR missions
• The people with whom we work in country will
  seldom be English speakers
• Rapid deployment models and rotation of
  assignments dilute regional expertise

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Impediments 2

• Needs based approach to assistance
• Reluctance to set priorities
• Unrealistic demands on host country institutions
• Unrealistic goals for our assistance