4-13. Understanding is fundamental to a commander’s ability to establish a situation’s context. It is essential to ethical and effective decision making and the development of plans. Analysis of the operational and mission variables provides the information used to develop understanding and frame a problem. In planning for stability operations, active collaboration with military and civilian partners assists commanders in developing their initial understanding of an operational environment and problem. Civil affairs capability is designed to understand and engage the factors and actors that comprise the civilian component of the operational environment. Thus, civil affairs is integral to a commander’s ability to conduct stability planning. (See ADP 5-0 for more information on the operational and mission variables.)