Improving us capacity for stabilization and reconstruction operations is critical to national security the authors provide an overview of the requirements posed by such operations and recommend ways to improve us capacity to meet these needs. Us experiences in iraq and afghanistan have demonstrated that improving us capacity for stabilization and reconstruction operations is critical to national security the authors recommend building civilian rather than military capacity realigning and reforming existing agencies and funding promising programs. Stabilization and reconstruction operations will almost certainly constitute an important part of the national security agenda facing the new obama administration stabilization which refers to efforts to end social economic and political upheaval and reconstruction which includes efforts to develop or redevelop institutions that foster self governance social and economic development . Us experiences in iraq and afghanistan have demonstrated that improving us capacity for stabilization and reconstruction operations is critical to national security to help craft a way ahead the authors provide an overview of the requirements posed by stabilization and reconstruction operations and recommend ways to improve us capacity to meet these needs