text: Stability Operations Considerations in Counterinsurgency
  Support Development of Local Governance
  7-47. Establishing effective governance at the local level is necessary before developing governance
  institutions and processes throughout the HN. Initially, effective local governance almost depends entirely
  on the ability to provide essential civil services to the people. Most stability tasks require an integrated
  and synchronized effort across all sectors to achieve the desired end state. Tactical Units have often had
  success when working with a city, district or tribal council, or city manager. Essential tasks may include—
  • Establish mechanisms for local-level participation.
  • Identify, secure, rehabilitate, and maintain basic facilities for the local government.
  • Restore essential local public services.
  • Provide resources to maintain essential local public services.
  Support Anticorruption Initiatives
  7-48. Corruption of government official could be a root cause that led to the insurgency. Providing legal
  guidance and assistance to the transitional government mitigates the near-term effects of corruption.
  Long-term measures ensure lasting success. Corruption and graft can hinder efforts to establish
  governance, restore rule of law, or institute economic recovery. While some level of corruption is common
  to many cultures, its existence can unhinge reform efforts and put the entire mission at risk. Essential tasks
  may include an initial response in which military forces create mechanisms to curtail corruption across
  government institutions. Units must decide if there is an acceptable level of corruption in the HN society.
  Essential tasks may include an initial response to—
  • Disseminate ethical standards for civil servants.
  • Ensure transparency in the dispersal of government resources.
  • Implement reporting procedures for corruption and intimidation.
  Support Elections
  7-49. The ability of the HN government and its local subdivisions to stage fair and secure elections is a
  significant milestone toward establishing legitimate, effective governance. While civilian agencies that
  maintain strict transparency guide the elections process, military forces provide the support that enables
  broad participation by the local populace. Essential tasks may include—
  • Provide security for polling places, voters, and ballots.
  • Determine identification requirements for voter registration.
  • Establish or verify voter registry.
  TECHNIQUES
  7-50. Two critical governance techniques are negotiating and mediating, and leader and meeting
  security. See FM 3-07 for additional technique considerations.
  Negotiations and Mediations
  7-51. In a counterinsurgency, situations may arise that require counterinsurgency personnel to negotiate,
  mediate, and perhaps arbitrate disputes. These usually involve minor points of contention between the
  belligerents or disagreements about the daily routines of the counterinsurgent force. Unit leaders must
  remain aware of their limitations. Larger points of contention or issues beyond their ability to resolve
  should be referred to a higher authority. If possible, arbitration should be referred to the existing legal
  system. Negotiations are made from a position of strength while mediation is made from a position
  of impartiality. In the joint, combined, and interagency environment, negotiations and mediations can be
  complex. Nonetheless, all negotiations and mediations require tact, diplomacy, honesty, patience, fairness,
  effective communications, cross-cultural sensitivity, and careful planning. For the purposes of this manual,
  the following definitions are used:
  Negotiation
  7-52. This is a discussion between at least two parties, with the intention to produce an agreement.