ABSTRACT
Post-conflict environments are indeed often 'dramatically different' from one another, and the sources of those differences need to be much better understood by outsiders wishing to assist in the consolidation of peace. Establishing security and stabilising post-war environments – an urgent and overriding priority at the outset of any mission – demands a differentiated understanding of the varieties and sources of violence that characterise post-conflict settings. Discussion of civil-military relations in peacebuilding and post-conflict operations has tended to revolve around the question of how best to improve the quality of cooperation between the military and civilian components of a mission. The extent to which the governance structures put in place and promoted by outsiders are viewed as legitimate by former adversaries in a post-conflict setting, neighbouring states and the international community is critical to the success of any peacebuilding endeavour.
