text: The Principles of War
  PERSEVERANCE
  A-23. The purpose of perseverance is to ensure the commitment necessary to achieve national objectives.
  Perseverance recognizes that enduring outcomes may require enduring commitment of forces.
  A-24. Perseverance involves preparation for measured, protracted military operations in pursuit of national
  objectives. Some joint operations may require years to reach the desired end state. The underlying causes of
  the crisis may be elusive, making it difficult to achieve decisive resolution. The patient, resolute, and
  persistent pursuit of national goals and objectives is essential to success. This frequently involves diplomatic,
  economic, and informational measures to supplement military efforts. Army leaders contribute to
  perseverance by managing the expectations of seniors and subordinates while setting reasonable objectives
  to achieve over time.
  LEGITIMACY
  A-25. The purpose of legitimacy is to maintain legal and moral authority during the conduct of operations. It
  is relevant across the competition continuum and the range of military operations. Legitimacy, a decisive
  factor in the application of information in the operational environment, is based on the actual and perceived
  legality, morality, and rightness of the actions from the various perspectives of interested audiences. These
  audiences can include our national leadership and domestic population, governments, civilian populations,
  and nations and organizations around the world.
  A-26. Committed forces must sustain the legitimacy of the operation and of the coalition and host
  government, particularly when the host or partner government's legitimacy is decisive to the operation. All
  actions must be considered in the light of competing strategic and tactical requirements, and exhibit fairness
  in dealing with competing factions where appropriate. Legitimacy may depend on adherence to objectives
  agreed to by the international community, ensuring the action is appropriate to the situation and to the
  perception of fairness in dealing with various factions. Restricting the use of force, restructuring the type of
  forces employed, protecting civilians, and ensuring the disciplined conduct of the forces involved may
  reinforce legitimacy.