text: Understanding the Strategic Context
  liaison that eventually leads to close cooperation. (See JP 3-22 for more information on coordinating
  structures.)
  1-57. Leaders ensure the various organizations supporting counterinsurgency operations in each area know
  which commander is responsible for the respective areas of operation. Multiple organizations operating
  within a land force commander’s area of operations—such as U.S. government, multinational forces, host
  nation, interagency organizations, and special operations forces—might increase the risk of fratricide,
  insider threats, and civilian casualties and may create tactical and operational gaps that insurgents can
  exploit.
  1-58. Entities best qualified to accomplish nonmilitary tasks may not always be available. In such cases,
  military forces may need to perform those tasks until civilian-led capabilities become available. Within the
  Army, civil affairs is the branch ideally organized, trained, and equipped to assist commanders in these
  functions. Sometimes forces already have the skills required, and at other times they learn them during
  execution. By default, U.S. and multinational military forces often possess the only readily available
  capability to meet many of the local population’s fundamental needs. As such, it is important for
  commanders to assess the capabilities of their forces and other organizations on the battlefield.
  UNIFIED ACTION PARTNERS
  1-59. Army and Marine forces conduct counterinsurgency with unified action partners. Unified action
  partners are those military forces, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and elements of the
  private sector with whom Army and Marine Corps forces plan, coordinate, synchronize, and integrate
  during the conduct of operations. Unified action partners include joint forces and components,
  multinational forces, U.S. government agencies and departments, and some intergovernmental and NGOs.
  Some important unified action partners in a counterinsurgency are—
  * Host-nation government and forces.
  * Joint forces.
  * Department of State.
  * Multinational forces.
  * NGOs.
  * Other organizations.
  Host-Nation Government and Forces
  1-60. The essential unified action partner is the host nation and its own forces. The purpose of
  counterinsurgency operations, from the viewpoint of the U.S., is to support or enable the host nation to
  defeat an insurgency. In the worst case situation, this may require the U.S. becoming the primary
  counterinsurgent or working with groups inside a state to build a legitimate government. However, even in
  the worse case, the goal is still for the host nation and its forces to defeat an insurgency.
  Joint Force
  1-61. The maritime component plays a critical role in controlling the seas, which may be vital to isolating
  an insurgency, both physically and psychologically. The expeditionary character and versatility of maritime
  forces provide an advantage in areas where access is denied or limited. Maritime forces may provide direct
  support to a joint task force that does not include combat operations, to include civil-military operations,
  logistic support, intelligence, communication sharing, humanitarian relief, maritime civil affairs, and
  expeditionary medical aid and training.
  1-62. Air forces and capabilities play a vital role in the military contribution to a counterinsurgency. Air
  contributions include close air support precision strikes; personnel recovery, air interdiction, intelligence,
  surveillance, and reconnaissance, communications, electronic warfare, combat support, and air mobility.