In many areas where U.S. forces are deployed, the use of military power must take place in close coordination and cooperation with non-military instruments of power and influence. There is a clear need for new approaches to this situation on the part of the U.S. government — both civilian and military — as well as the private-sector and nongovernmental organizations. To respond to that need, the RAND Corporation, in cooperation with the American Academy of Diplomacy (AAD), is conducting a 15-month project on Integrating Instruments of Power and Influence in National Security. As part of this project, on March 21, 2006, the AAD and the American University School of International Service, in partnership with RAND, convened a one-day conference devoted to a dialogue on this subject at which two panels of current and former senior military officials and diplomats offered their distinct perspectives. This report summarizes the main results of that conference.
