Sociobiological Foundations of Stability and Support Operations

Conflict is as old as humankind itself. Why man fights can be explained through culture and biology. With the fall of the Soviet empire in 1989, a global collective conscience has surfaced with regard to nations intervening in internal and international crises. Though the United Nations (UN) has undertaken peace operations since its inception, it has taken an increasingly active role in stability and support operations (SASO) in the post-Cold War world. In an era of dwindling resources within the Department of Defense, United States (US) participation in stability and support operations has been, and promises to be in the future, a significant commitment of scarce national treasure. Stability and support operations are a polarizing and pressing issue on the social and political agendas of nations and the United Nations. The settling of disputes by a third party is greatly influenced by that party's ability to change the behavior of the belligerents. Without a thorough understanding of why man wages war, intervening third parties are unable to accurately identify the underlying causes of the conflict and the incentives and disincentives in modifying the belligerents' behavior. In order to wisely, efficiently, and (most importantly) successfully commit national treasure in support of stability and support operations, the civilian leaders, politicians, and combatant commanders of the United States must make informed decisions based on analysis of the sources of the conflict and the predicted efficacy of courses of action to alter the belligerents' behavior. Apprehending the cultural and biological foundations of why man fights is fundamental to understanding the mental depth of the battle space, ensuring operational versatility in new environments, and allowing rapid shifts of cultural agility in order to seize the initiative in any environment. This cross-cultural exploitation gives the Army a critical perspective to see into situations and act decisively, knowledgea