by Paul Lines

Created on: February 14, 2008   Last Updated: July 27, 2009

The overriding ethos of the US military is to protect its citizens and engage in conflicts that require resolution through the use of force. Over the past few decades we have seen examples of how effective the US military have been in these situations throughout many areas of the world, including Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The primary reason for the US military presence in these areas has been to secure a solution to the conflicts, by using their own might to suppress warring factions and bring about a lasting peace. In such cases this has been seen as a last resort, chosen only after diplomats have failed to find an acceptable political solution to the root causes of conflict.

Nevertheless, despite this pivotal role, increasingly we are seeing the US military forces being deployed and engaged in non-military activity, such as the rebuilding of infrastructures in these countries once the conflict has been resolved. In addition they have also been required to act as mediators, building trust within previously suspicious sections of the local communities and providing training for their police and security forces. However, there has been some debate as to whether the US military can be as effective in such non-military roles as they are in their primary military role. Although many politicians doubt that this is the case, some recent reports have tended to contradict this opinion.

For example, in 2007 Kevin Maurer's wrote an article about the US military work in the Khost province of Afghanistan, which showed how they were making a difference with other, non-military efforts. Maurer had witnessed first hand how the US commanders, working closely with the civilian population and local government, had brought some stability and peace to the region, forcing the last of the rebel Taliban insurgents out of the area by peaceful means rather than through the use of military force. This was achieved by a mixture of activities, which included having the soldiers living within the local communities, working on civilian projects, including the rebuilding of roads, buildings and dams, and forming a robust working relationship with the local politicians and ethnic factions.

However, despite the reversal of fortunes for this community, the area is still surrounded by districts where the Afghanistan civil war continues to rage fiercely. Many political observers are of the opinion that the improvements in Khost will be short lived, arguing that eventually the

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