The stretcher and the drum: Civil‐military relations in peace support operations

This article examines the relationship between international military forces and civilian humanitarian organizations, and looks at how these two groups perceive one another. First, it compares military and humanitarian organizational cultures. Secondly, it considers the terms 'military' and 'humanitarian' to show how each encompasses a range of differing organizational cultures, making operational planning and standardized practice more complicated than is commonly recognized. Thirdly, having identified two main types of civil‐military relationship in peace‐support operations ‐ technical and security relationships ‐ it identifies several areas of tension and consensus between the two groups. The article ends by outlining policy and practice conclusions for those responsible for managing civil‐military co‐operation in emergencies.