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Chapter I I-4 JP 3-0 (5) As it has in the past, the United States will continue to respond to a variety of civil crises by acting to relieve human suffering and restoring civil functioning, most often in support of civil authorities. c. Joint operations increasingly occur in urban terrain and in cyberspace. The US homeland and other US interests are potential targets for direct and indirect attack. Adversary actions are likely to follow asymmetric principles. They will avoid “hard” (defended) targets and attack vulnerable ones. Vulnerable targets may include US and partner nation lines of communications (LOCs), ports, airports, staging areas, civilian populations, critical infrastructure, and economic centers. Advances in information technology increase the tempo, lethality, and depth of warfare. Within this environment, maintaining national security and managing the inevitable changes are continuous processes that often preclude simple solutions. These challenges often require well-planned and executed joint operations in conjunction with actions by a variety of other participants. In addition to military forces (including multinational forces) and civilians, there may be a number of interagency partners, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and elements of the private sector whose presence or influence can affect the JFC’s operations. For more information on the strategic environment, refer to JP 1, Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States. For more information on interorganizational coordination, refer to JP 3-08, Interorganizational Coordination During Joint Operations. 3. Instruments of National Power and the Range of Military Operations a. The various institutions that represent the US instruments of national power face daily challenges within the strategic environment. b. The routine interaction of the instruments of national power is fundamental to US activities in the strategic environment. The instruments of national power are tools the US uses to apply its sources of power, including its culture, industry, science and technology, academic institutions, geography, and national will. The ability of the United States to advance its national interests is dependent on the effectiveness of the United States Government (USG) in employing the instruments of national power to achieve national strategic objectives. The appropriate governmental officials, often with National Security Council direction, normally coordinate these instruments of national power (diplomatic, informational, military, and economic). The military instrument’s role increases relative to the other instruments as the need to compel a potential adversary through force increases. c. Our national leaders can use the military instrument of national power in a wide variety of activities, tasks, missions, and operations that vary in purpose, scale, risk, and combat intensity. Operations are grouped in three areas that compose the range of military operations (Figure I-3). (1) Military Engagement, Security Cooperation, and Deterrence. These are ongoing routine activities that establish, shape, maintain, and refine relations with other nations and domestic civil authorities (e.g., state governors or local law enforcement). Many