Library and Links

Oral Histories Project on Stability Operations

The Oral Histories Project on Stability Operations, part of the Margarita S. Studemeister Digital Library in International Conflict Management, collects the full text of interviews conducted by the Institute's Center for Post-Conflict Peace and Stability Operations program with individuals involved in stability operations, to draw lessons learned and address the challenges of post-conflict intervention. Robert Perito is the project coordinator.

The Sudan Experience Project

Sudan's North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is a unique example of an effort by the international community to negotiate and to implement a peace agreement. Peace implementation has been imperfect and slow but it has prevented the rekindling of armed conflict. It is also an example of an international conflict where the U.S. has played a largely positive role and is looked to by the parties for continued guidance in the peace process.

The Sudan Experience Project Oral History Library contains the transcripts of nearly 100 interviews with those who negotiated and who are implementing the CPA. These first person accounts and the lessons learned from their experience are a substantial contribution to our understanding of the challenges of negotiating and implementing complex peace agreements.

The Iraq Experience Project

The Iraq Experience Project is designed to collect, distill, and disseminate lessons learned from U.S. government officials, military officers, and contractors who served in the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. Using a combination of tools from printed reports to interactive DVDs and interviews collected in 2004, the Iraq Experience Project seeks to help U.S. civilian and military personnel by providing the training and skills needed for Americans serving in Iraq and beyond.

Afghanistan Provincial Reconstruction Teams

The experiences of Americans who served in Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Afghanistan provide important lessons for current and future peace and stability operations. Provincial Reconstruction Teams are small, joint, civil-military organizations whose mission is to promote good governance, improved security and reconstruction. In November 2005, there were 22 PRTs in Afghanistan: nine were directed by the U.S. and countries belonging to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force directed 13.

American PRTs are commanded by a U.S. Army Lt. Colonel and are composed of representatives of the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Department of Agriculture. They also include an U.S. Army infantry platoon, an Army Civil Affairs Team, a Military Police Team, and military medical, de-mining, and intelligence units. Their primary objective is to extend the authority of the Afghan government by supporting provincial officials, providing development assistance, and establishing a security presence.

The Afghanistan Experience Project collected lessons learned by Provincial Reconstruction Teams by interviewing 52 government officials, military officers, and representatives of international and non-governmental organizations who had served in Afghanistan. Interviews were conducted by the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training under a contract with the Institute of Peace.

Updated: January 17, 2007