According to U.S. Ambassador Menzies, General Crouch was deliberate: “He took
his time to make decisions.” Ambassador Menzies explained that Crouch was very
“thoughtful,” meaning he would carefully consider the problem before reacting. Mr. Jock
Covey (Chief of Staff, Office of the High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina) echoed
that sentiment when he said General Crouch “would listen and was willing to change.”
With the multiple complexities inherent in Bosnia, Ambassador Menzies explained, “You
need a lot more deliberation. What you need is someone who will take time to examine
the issues and take time to make decisions. You have to have much greater sensitivity.
You aren’t warfighting. You are building it up. You aren’t destroying things. It isn’t a
battlefield. It is a completely different environment.” (USIP report, p. 6)
Recommendations:
To maximize success of any Transitional Public Security operation:
1. Provide security forces that are recognized as “legitimate” and “vastly superior in
comparison to host nation armed groups.”
2. Include an international police force. Such a component can bring both legitimacy
and rule-of-law expertise to the table.
3. Connect the international police force to Civil Affairs personnel of the international/
multi-national security force. The expertise, liaison, and information from Civil Affairs
can be highly contributory to police/security efforts and will enhance the broader
support to civil control.
4. Provide cultural awareness to all deploying military leaders and security force
personnel. Throughout operations, these personnel should take/tailor actions to
understand and appropriately engage with local societal groups, local officials, and
local security/police personnel.
Sources:
“Lessons and Conclusions on the Execution of IFOR Operations and Prospects
for a Future Combined Security System: The Peace and Stability of Europe
after IFOR” – a Joint US/Russian Research Project of the Foreign Military Studies
Office, Center for Army Lessons Learned, U. S. Army Combined Arms Center, Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas and the Center for Military-Strategic Studies, General Staff of
the Armed Forces, Moscow, Russia – by Dr. Jacob W. Kipp et al, November 2000.
“Lessons From Bosnia: The IFOR Experience,” – a DoD Center for Advanced
Concepts and Technology (ACT) / National Defense University (NDU) collaboration –
edited by Larry Wentz, February 2004.
“Training U.S. Army Officers for Peace Operations: Lessons from Bosnia,” by
Howard Olsen and John Davis, United States Institute of Peace (USIP), 29 October
1999.
“Gaining the Peace in Difficult Places: Why we succeeded in Bosnia but
struggled elsewhere,” by David Mosinski, 5 May 2017.
“Strategic Lesson Number 4: Understanding and Engaging the People,” by
David Mosinski, 28 March 2012.
“Leadership in Stability Operations: Understanding / Engaging the People”
(lesson compendium), by David Mosinski, 2 April 2013.
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