Publication

This paper proposes the establishment of an international Conflict Prevention Service (COPS), based in Europe to fill the growing gap between diplomacy and military force. The authors emphasize the urgent need to strengthen civilian capacity and support structures for crisis management operations in Europe and beyond. The paper describes how in repeated circumstances civilian peacebuidling and conflict prevention initiatives have failed or fallen short in such locations as Panama, Rwanda, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia and Kosovo. The authors detail how the international community has managed difficult military deployments, including combat actions, yet continually has failed to muster the civilian resources to support peace-building operations afterwards.