Former Commander U.S. Central Command Gen. Anthony Zinni moderated panelists speaking about ways to employ a more comprehensive approach in the future security environment. Zinni started off by talking about current military operations that may not be necessary.
“One thing that sticks out to me is the non-military things that the uniformed services are doing. They have taken on certain tasks because no one else would. They range from agriculture to zoos. They are doing everything from the most mundane things, like opening recreational swimming pools, to the most complex issues like engagement and friction between ethnic and religious groups. They do these things because they need to be done. What happens when we pull the uniforms away from this?”
Zinni said before troops first left for Iraq, he was told the final phase of stabilization and reconstruction would not have to be handled by the military. Yet, years later, that is what the military is doing.
“This isn’t the right role for the military. As well intentioned as it might be, we need to bolster the other elements of our government and organizations and learn how to build better partnerships.”
