What is country-level security cooperation planning?

Theater-level and country-level SC planning are not conducted separately. They inform each other and are developed concurrently and in unison with each other. Without conducting an in-depth analysis of the PN how can the CCMD develop SC Objectives and the SSCI/LOE?

Country-level planning refers to the planning for SC with a particular nation-state or international organization. Tempering the focus on DoW processes, in support of PPD-23, country-level planning must coordinate with interagency counterparts in the DOS, USAID, and other agencies with equities in the country of interest. Country-level planning does not necessarily mean “in-country” planning. Country-level planning can be done at the CCMD headquarters, in-country by the SCO, and, preferably, a combination of both. How and where country-level planning occurs depends on each individual CCMD.

The CCP describes how the theater will achieve its ends, but the CCP is too general to provide a starting point for scheduling specific SC events. With over fifty countries in some CCMDs, the CCMD will sometimes prepare sub-regional CCMD Campaign Plans to provide increasing detail on how it achieves the ends in a sub-region of the CCMD AOR.

Below the sub-regional CCMD Campaign Plans, the CSCS manifests concrete action. Theater planners should work with service components and SCO personnel when brainstorming and developing specific activities to achieve progress on lines of activity in a particular PN. The goal of country-level planning is not just the CSCS, but to develop the activities, events, operations, and investments that program budgets and schedule events.

For country-level planning, higher-level guidance comes from the SC Planning Guidance, JSCP, CCP, and, where applicable, Contingency Plans. In addition to DoW documents, planners should look at the DOS ICS, the USAID Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), and other agency/partner plans for PN. The ICS provides the Ambassador’s goals, the relationships between Mission goals and broader USG regional goals, discusses the current operating environment, and informs the DOS budget submission (FY+2). It is important to note that the ICS is an interagency document containing goals and objectives from every agency that has an interest or equity in a particular PN. Planners should closely examine the CCP, objectives, and tasks contained in relevant contingency plans. These objectives may contain important implications and requirements for SC activities.

Based upon higher-level guidance and assessment of the PN’s environment, the planners need to determine what the USG wants and does NOT want the country to do. What is the desired end state? Does the USG want the PN to take (or not take) a certain political action? Does the USG need access to their territory, resources, information, and/or intelligence, research, and development? Does the USG want the PN to develop and use a certain capability or capacity? Does the USG need the PN to conduct peacekeeping, coalition, or expeditionary operations? Or does the USG need the PN to focus first on their internal defense? Planners should determine and prioritize which of these (or other) roles a country needs to fulfill to support CCP objectives. Planners should identify the risks to the CCP and U.S. strategy if the partner does not play the desired role(s). Heavy consideration and nuanced understanding of the PN’s political will to fulfill the identified role is fundamental to effective analysis; is it a goal or objective that the U.S. and the PN have in common?

The final step is to identify existing or programmed resources. While country-level planning is not “resource-constrained,” it must be “resource-informed” if it is to have any basis in reality. Remember, there is always something currently planned. What are the current program budgets and manpower directed by the USG at the PN forces? What other resources are available? When considering this, look not only at DoW programs, but also at DOS Title 22-funded programs, and, in light of PPD-23, examine with the help of the Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché (SDO/DATT) the activities of other executive agencies. Equally, what actions are the PN or third parties already planning? If another country is already planning to address a capability, then this should limit the resources the USG plans to expend. Perhaps more importantly, assess whether the PN has the resources and will to maintain the capability for the desired security role over the long term.