Peter Viggo Jakobsen

Scandinavian Journal of Military Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1 (November 2020)IndholdsfortegnelsePeter Viggo Jakobsen, Forord: Hvad skal vi med et temanummer om Krigsførelsens Kredsløb?, 197–201.Mikkel Storm Jensen, Krigsførelsens Kredsløb – en fornuftig hypotesegenerator: En bro fra organiseret intuition til videnskabelig analyse, 202–209.Søren Sjøgren og Søren Nørby, Krigsførelsens Kredsløbs hvem, hvad, hvor, 210–222.Søren Sjøgren, Krigsførelsens Kredsløb i et videnskabsteoretisk perspektiv – teorier, modeller og virkelighed, 223–238.Karsten Marrup, Krigsførelsens Kredsløb 2.0 – Kapabilitetskredsløbet, 239–248. Jeppe Plenge Trautner, Kapaciteternes Kredsløb – en analysemodel til vurdering af militære styrkers kvalitet og kampkraft, 249–264.

The lessons learned by Denmark in recent conflicts with respect to combining its diplomatic, development and military instruments in an integrated manner have now crystallised into a new strategy paper outlining the main features of a new approach emphasising the importance of conflict prevention and greater respect for humanitarian principles. In September 2014 Denmark published a new strategy paper outlining its approach to future stabilisation operations (Denmark’s Integrated Stabilisation Engagement in Fragile and Confl ict-Affected Areas of the World). The paper is noteworthy in three respects. First, it signals the government’s ambition to continue to play an active role in enhancing international peace and security. Second, it does not constitute a break with the policies pursued in Iraq and Afghanistan. The mixed experiences in these diffi cult and controversial operations have not induced the government to rethink Danish security policy fundamentally. While there is a new emphasis on conflict prevention, the use of force is not ruled out and future involvement in operations similar to the NATO air campaign in Libya in 2011 is anticipated. Third, the paper retains the comprehensive/integrated approach as the guiding star of Danish stabilisation efforts, but refines it in a way that reflects lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan. Refinement of the Danish understanding of the comprehensive/integrated approach is important because it aligns Danish policy with the United Nations’ and facilitates future cooperation with the humanitarian organisations that, to some extent, were alienated by the approach adopted by Denmark in Iraq and Afghanistan. The purpose of this article is to spell out why. The first part briefly describes the Danish comprehensive/integrated approach concept as it was originally conceived and the problems it encountered in Iraq and Afghanistan. The second part analyses the actions taken to address these problems in the new stabilisation paper and briefly touches upon the implications for the future.