Military Operations Other Than War, or MOOTW, focuses on deterring war, resolving conflicts, promoting peace, and supporting civil authorities in dealing with domestic crises. MOOTW can be a "grey" area, involving elements of both combatant and noncombatant operations in peacetime, regional conflicts, and war situations. MOOTW involving combat, such as peace enforcement, has many of the same characteristics of war, such as active combat operations and employment of combat capabilities.
All military operations are driven by political considerations, but MOOTW are even more sensitive to those considerations due to the overriding goal to prevent, preempt, or limit hostilities, and the military may not be the primary player. Consequently, MOOTW normally have much more restrictive Rules Of Engagement (ROE) than would otherwise be used in a war. The purpose of the operation may have changing or unclear objectives; for example, to deter potential aggressors, protect national interests, support the United Nations (UN) or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), or providing humanitarian assistance. While MOOTW are generally conducted outside the United States, operations may be conducted within the United States, such as providing relief and assistance to victims of hurricanes and other natural disasters.
Among the numerous operations the United States has supported, undoubtedly the most famous MOOTW was the Berlin Airlift, followed by more recent operations such as Operation PROVIDE COMFORT supporting the Kurds in northern Iraq, Operations DENY FLIGHT and JOINT ENDEAVOR, which implemented the Dayton Peace Accords in the former Republic of Yugoslavia, and the Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita and Asian Tsunami relief efforts.
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