In the minds of many, unity of command, one of the nine principles of war, is an unassailable way of conducting military operations. The need for "unity of effort under one responsible commander" is not simply desirable; it is imperative. When viewed in this context, the ongoing operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan have a serious and perhaps fatal flaw. In Iraq, U.S. commanders must tolerate the inefficiency of sharing command with Iraqi Seeurity Forces. In Afghanistan disunity of command so hopelessly hamstrings NATO that it raises serious questions of whether success is even possible.rnHowever, it is a mistake to treat any principle of war, including unity of command, as an end in itself. The true end of any military operation is to achieve victory, however that may be defined.
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