Interagency coordination at the national level is required to improve the outcome of an international multiagency operation and to enhance the performance of each of the involved agencies. It should also lead to a more effective use of the instruments of power. That is even more important for the Netherlands, a smaller nation with finite national resources. Stronger interagency coordination within the Netherlands could yield economic benefits and international influence. The central question therefore is: Can Dutch interagency coordination in international affairs be conducted more effectively? An analysis of American and Dutch interagency efforts demonstrates the similarity between the reasons for the U.S. Government to create mechanisms for interagency coordination and the shortfalls in the Dutch governmental system. This analysis also provides the basis for further research on the usability in the Netherlands of four U.S. concepts for interagency coordination: (1) the NSC as the interagency process "watchdog," (2) the need to identify one strategic goal, (3) the political-military planning process, and (4) the management tools related to the political- military planning process. The outcome is that the Dutch government could apply these concepts. However, in the U.S. experience, interagency coordination has not always been conducted successfully. Therefore, the U.S. lessons learned have to be taken into account in case the Dutch government considers implementation of these concepts.

ADA 394936 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)