sures to build sustainable capacity and to thwart partner nation’s
dependency on U.S. and NATO resources. NATO retains a
tremendous pot of resources and is very successful at coordinat-
ing coalition efforts. Therefore, streamlining capacity-building
efforts reduces redundancy, which is a major propagator of
partner-nation resource dependency.
Middle East North Africa (MENA) Region Panel
opportunities. Presence forces should attempt to utilize the lo-
cal economy as much as possible, rather than import them from
their home country, as this money will have an outsized effect
on multiple local and national agencies, and actually build re-
silient funding streams. Partner nation ministries must develop
a funding stream for leave-behind projects by carefully consid-
ering the phasing of development initiatives. Coordinating and
aligning coalition efforts with the most appropriate capability
provides the synergy necessary for success.
• NATO should assist African nations in assuring that African
soldiers are more responsibly organized, trained, and equipped
in a manner to serve their people. The intent is to develop
armed forces that are viewed as net positives to society, a part of
the security apparatus that the citizens run-to vice away-from.
These solders also need alternative employable skill sets for after
their military service. Hence, emphasizing infrastructure build-
out as part of the peacekeeping mission and mandating that the
host nation participates with the construction of infrastructure,
gives the former soldier some skills to bring back to his/her
community. Security Cooperation must follow a capabilities
based approach, which focuses on the essential system require-
ments. NATO’s expertise is capacity building, and should be
their primary focus in operations, while leaving the task of
primary material provider for such operations to other better
suited organizations.
Moderator: AMB Donald Koran, USAWC Diplomatic Advi-
sor to the Commandant
Panel Members: Lt. Gen Luciano Portolano, Chief of Staff,
Allied Joint Force Command, Naples; VADM(R) Michael
Franken, former Deputy Commanding General USAF-
RICOM; LTG Charles Hooper, Director, Defense Security
Cooperation Agency
Key Points:
• Instability is a domestic issue, and as such, institutional
capacity building inherently becomes the principal component
of projecting stability. Africa has sufficient numbers of soldiers,
but the countries are in dire need of infrastructure development
to ensure sustainable stability. Appropriate skill set develop-
ment includes engineering, logistics, health and human service
administrators, and capable instructors and educators. Organi-
zations within civil society become the primary interlocutors
for identifying sustainable infrastructure requirements and for
determining which specific resources are to remain as local nat-
ural resources. Local society and its citizenry will perceive this
as a long term local investment. All development efforts must
be prioritized by the local community, as they must want the
resources more than the investing organization. The first layer of
defense for development projects are those that have a stake in
the security and economic means of stay behind equipment and
5
• The movement of refugees changes the behavior and culture
of a country and the surrounding region. Refugee movement
is a threat to the current liberal democracies of Europe. Elec-
tions have featured the refugee issue as entirely inimical to
the oneness of Europe. Beginning with enhanced refugee
screening processes that may introduce undue hardship, create
unhelpful legislation, and compel a shift to nationalism, it also
fuels a relief effort, mainly by non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), who become part of the refugee movement business
plan. Secondly, human traffickers become a criminal juggernaut
by providing a substantial work force to both legal and illegal
enterprises. Ultimately, the gross domestic product provided by
the illegal human traffickers becomes too great a revenue stream
to interrupt; it becomes self-sustaining and leads to corruption
throughout the elected leadership. In essence, refugee flows be-
come a tool of nations, as forced migrations strains the econo-
mies of receiving nations, thus creating instability and reducing
economic opportunities for the host population. As an example,
Russia has weaponized refugee flow, encouraging Syrian Pres-
ident Assad to use chemical weapons on his people to create
overwhelming numbers of refugees to destabilize Europe and
the NATO alliance. Overall, criminal activity can equal entire
GDPs of some nations. The culturally accepted norm is for