FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas — The U.S. Army is completing a set of guiding principles on how it will provide security assistance in foreign countries.

It's viewed as an interim document, one being experimented at Fort Leavenworth with help of dozens of officers who have had ample experience doing the real thing.

The process and the final product will reflect lessons learned from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and previous experience advising foreign militaries, while keeping a focus on future conflicts.

"The focus is always going to be on supporting the legitimate government," said Maj. Steve Lucas.

The experiment by the Battle Command Battle Laboratory began last month when more than 950 midlevel officers conducted a war game simulating a major combat operation in Azerbaijan. In that phase, officers simulated attacking an enemy, fighting an insurgency and initiating stability operations.

In this current phase, being conducted in a building behind the high limestone walls of the former U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, the goal is to coordinate security assistance while the fragile government re-emerges.

It's a role that is being played out in Iraq and Afghanistan on a daily basis.

U.S. troops are increasingly taking an advisory role, letting the Iraqi security forces take the lead and coordinating activities among provincial reconstruction teams, nongovernment organizations and Iraqi ministries. President Barack Obama has indicated the United States will withdraw all but 30,000 to 50,000 troops by August 2010.