ABSTRACT
Although the characteristics and constraints of urban operations are remarkably consistent, contingencies, emergent trends and specific issues may yet rebalance Western operations. At the time of writing a US offensive in the ‘War on Terrorism’ appears the most likely contingency, while potentially significant trends include the Pentagon’s intention to ‘skip a generation’ in military technology, the multinational composition of most recent interventions, expanded definitions of security and the belief that destruction should be followed by reconstruction or rehabilitation rather than spoilation.1 This suggests that, while the mechanics of operations are relatively fixed and tactical change is evolutionary, the factors shaping strategic guidance are flexible and transitory; balancing the two is therefore critical. This is especially so in densely populated cities where traditional Western security imperatives (national interest, coercion, punishment) must now acknowledge humanitarian concerns, the public expectation of minimal own-casualties and the processes of internationalisation and globalisation.2 Investigating the resultant tensions provides a means to identify the fundamental strategic and operational dilemmas of contemporary operations. It also places the phenomenon of urban operations within the broader context of security.
