WASHINGTON— A U.S. Institute of Peace study has provided a blueprint for the creation of a single federal office with responsibility for establishing public order and the rule of law in stability operations. According to this study, Building Civilian Capacity for U.S. Stability Operations: The Rule of Law Component,"establishing public order in the aftermath of an international military intervention is 'job one.' The success of all other activities hinges on getting this job done."

The report proposes the creation of an Office for Rule of Law Operations (ORLO), which would deploy police, judges, and corrections officials to implement peace and stability operations. This rapidly deployable civilian capacity would be drawn from a Rule of Law Reserves that would be created to support U.S. military forces, which are neither trained nor equipped for riot control and law enforcement functions, according to the report. Written by Institute staff members Michael Dziedzic and Robert Perito, and Beth DeGrasse of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, the report is the product of an Institute study group whose recommendations parallel those being considered by Congress and the administration for the creation of an office to coordinate the restoration of order in post-conflict situations.

In order to give it needed visibility and access to senior policymakers, the report suggests that the ORLO be located in the Office of the Secretary of State within a larger construct that unites other crucial civilian functions such as war crimes prosecution, humanitarian assistance, governance, media development, reconstruction, and reconciliation activities. "By preventing a public security gap, the process of providing relief and reconstruction assistance will be greatly facilitated and the transition to stable governance accelerated," the report concludes.

Journalists interested in interviewing any of the authors or in receiving copies of the report, should contact public affairs or go to a full version of the report on the Institute's web site.

Also, for more information on post-conflict stability operations, see Robert Perito's book, Where is the Lone Ranger When We Need Him? America's Search for a Postconflict Stability Force (U.S. Institute of Peace Press, 2004).