Shortly after the Pentagon revealed a new directive that labels stability operations as a “core US military mission,” President Bush formally appointed the Secretary of State as the lead authority on efforts to rebuild and stabilize nations after conflicts or during civil strife. The White House announcement says State will coordinate stability ops with Defense when US military operations are planned or ongoing. The DOD directive states that the US military will give stability ops “priority comparable to combat operations.” Neither action should come as a big surprise.
The U.S. and Sweden signed a bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement on Dec. 5 that will strengthen military ties between them and likely lead to U.S. troops and prepositioned gear on Swedish soil. Swedish Defense minister Pal Jonson said the war in Ukraine prompted Sweden's joining NATO and he laid out…