A comprehensive approach to operations in complex environments

Abstract

The notion of a comprehensive approach is not new. Its antecedents can be found in the writings of Clausewitz, who examined conflict in more than exclusively military terms. However, conflict in his age was focused mainly on the clash of military forces among sovereign nations. Although classic state-on-state warfare is not extinct, most conflicts today are far more complex, requiring various approaches and solutions. At the same time, the international geopolitical environment is rapidly evolving. Emerging factors include both globalization and competition for resources and an unstable international security environment including nonstate actors. To prepare to deal with such matters, this manual examines emerging characterizations of the comprehensive approach and its application to peacekeeping, the maritime domain, cyberspace, and energy security.