USIPeace Briefings
USIPeace Briefings offer summaries of USIP's recent and forthcoming reports and events.
Latest Releases:
Recruitment of Rule of Law Specialists for the Civilian Response Corps
January 2009 | For more than a decade, experienced international practitioners and peace scholars have recognized that multilateral interventions in societies ravaged by internal conflict cannot succeed unless they come prepared to deal with the inevitable void in public security and inability of the legal system to function effectively. In 1998, two core components of any solution to this crucial deficiency were highlighted in Policing the New World Disorder.
Toward the End of Poverty in Haiti
December 2008 | In July 2006, Haitian poet and historian Jean-Claude Martineau spoke at USIP and said that Haiti is the only country in the world with a last name—“Haiti, poorest country in the western hemisphere” —as described in the media. Sadly, in the two years since, conditions have worsened. Four severe storms that struck Haiti in September 2008 only exacerbated the already critical problem of the country’s poverty.
Telling the Story: Documentation Lessons for Afghanistan from the Cambodian Experience
December 2008 | USIP recently co-sponsored a conference in Cambodia to highlight lessons learned about war crimes documentation for Afghan human rights practitioners. USIP's Scott Worden, who organized the event, reports that a broad range of documentation techniques from computer databases to memorials are available to tell victims' stories in a way that promotes healing and a greater understanding of the past.
Disaster in the DRC: Responding to the Humanitarian Crisis in North Kivu
December 2008 | This USIPeace Briefing discusses the resurgent violence that left hundreds dead, thousands displaced and millions destitute in North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The report, by Go Funai and Catherine Morris, highlights the meaning of "human security" in a chronic conflict zone, informal lending mechanisms among local ethnically homogenous communities and the role of neighboring African states in contributing to conflict and stability in the DRC.
Iraq in the Obama Administration
December 2008 | President-elect Obama has stated his commitment to withdraw combat brigades from Iraq within 16 months, leaving a residual force of unspecified size for counterterrorism operations, training and equipping Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and protection of Americans. Judging from his statements during the campaign, it appears that the President-elect would like to leave Iraq’s internal problems to the Iraqis and treat Iraq as part of overall regional concerns rather than being his central focus.
Toward Resolving Chad’s Interlocking Conflicts
December 2008 | The fragility of the Chadian government, as well as the fragmentation among Chadian civil society, political parties, and rebel movements, poses significant challenges that Chadian civil society, regional governments, African institutions and the international community must address with a coordinated strategy. Although the situation in the country is often examined through the lens of the Darfur crisis, several internal factors drive the instability in Chad and its regional actions.
Evaluating Iraq’s Provincial Reconstruction Teams While Drawdown Looms: A USIP Trip Report
December 2008 | Since their 2005 inception in Iraq, PRTs have struggled to fully define their mission, overcome structural problems, learn to work alongside their military counterparts and assist Iraqis down the path to self-governance and stability so that U.S. forces can withdraw. While the concept was born in the Afghan conflict, PRTs in Iraq bear little resemblance to their Afghan cousins, which are led and largely staffed by military officers.
Haiti After the Storms: Weather and Conflict
November 2008 | In September 2008, four hurricanes and tropical storms—Fay, Gustav, Hannah and Ike—slammed into Haiti with devastating force. Nearly 800 people were killed, 300 remain missing and more than 500 were injured.
What Iraq Needs from the Obama Administration: Recommendations from Iraqis Resident in the U.S.
November 2008 | Iraq has experienced a notable reduction in violence in the past year, and the Iraqi panelists asserted the need for a continued presence of multinational forces to maintain this progress. However, as Almusawi specified, Iraqis insist that any agreement regarding the presence of foreign troops should not compromise the country's sovereignty. The terms of the agreement must be clear, in Iraq's interests and approved by the Iraqi people.
Iraq’s Cultural Heritage: Preserving the Past for the Sake of the Future
October 2008 | The looting of Iraq’s museums and archaeological sites is an overlooked consequence of the 2003 invasion. The loss of such precious history would be tragic for any nation or culture. As Iraqis struggle to redefine a sense of nationhood after five years of war, they will need to draw on that common heritage to reconstruct their communities.
Media, Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding: Mapping the Edges
October 2008 | There is growing recognition among policymakers and conflict management experts that the media should be a building block of any comprehensive peacebuilding strategy. Yet there are scant guidelines in this regard. Projects are still planned and implemented in a relatively ad-hoc manner, with minimal reference to lessons learned from previous initiatives. This USIP Peacebriefing examines the field.
The Future of the U.S. Military Presence in Iraq
September 2008 | A major reduction in the U.S. role in Iraq may be on the horizon. Author Julie Montgomery examines whether Washington should continue to engage or go home, the nature of U.S. leverage on the Iraqi government and related themes.
Depoliticizing Zimbabwe’s Economy: Solutions for Two Million Percent
August 2008 | Zimbabwe is saddled with two million percent annual price increases, rampant corruption and pervasive unemployment. Experts believe that an effort to reform the country's political corruption and irresponsible monetary policies will be central to establishing social and economic stability in the long run.
Moving Beyond Relief: The Challenges of Settling Kenya's Internally Displaced
August 2008 | This briefing by Sheila Mwiandi explores various dimensions of Kenya's post-election IDP problems, including elections-related issues prior to 2008, challenges to relocating IDPs and strategies for improving the situation.
Iraq: Positive Change in the Detention System
July 2008 | This USIPeace Briefing, summarizing remarks from a former commander for detainee operations in Iraq, discusses recent successes in improving the conditions of insurgent detainees in the country.
Killing Friends, Making Enemies: The Impact and Avoidance of Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan
July 2008 | This USIPeace Briefing discusses the enormous problem of civilian casualties in Afghanistan; the “troops-in-contact” dilemma regarding air power; challenges in intelligence gathering; losses in the information war with Taliban forces; and policy recommendations to mitigate this trend.
Opposition Alliances and Democratization in Egypt
June 2008 | What is the future of democracy in Egypt? What are the prospects for cooperation between the country’s Islamist and non-Islamist political opposition groups? These questions were recently explored at a USIP co-hosted conference in Cairo.
Colombia's Crossroads: The FARC and the Future of the Hostages
June 2008 | This USIPeace Briefing discusses the condition of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces, their hostages and the potential direction of this situation. The briefing stresses insights that key figures in the issue raised in recent visits to Washington, DC.
Making Bosnia Work: Why EU Accession is Not Enough
June 2008 | On June 16, 2008, Bosnia will sign a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union, more than 13 years after the Dayton Agreement ended the war there. This USIPeace Briefing examines this complex, timely issue.
Domestic Agencies in Reconstruction and Stabilization: The "4th D"
June 2008 | Defense, diplomacy and development have been pillars of U.S. government reconstruction and stabilization programs. Recently, however, the "4th D"—the domestic interagency community—has come into the picture.
Afghanistan: Not Lost, But Needs More Attention
June 2008 | In this report prepared in anticipation of the June 2008 Afghanistan donor conference, Afghanistan Senior Fellow Mohammad M. Stanekzai analyzes the country's challenges and offers policies to aid economic development, project implementation, coordination and security.
Bringing Peace to the Niger Delta
June 2008 | The conflict in the Niger Delta has posed a fundamental challenge to the country's security for over a decade. What is the nature of the conflict? What steps can the government and international community take to restore peace to the region?
Half Full or Half Empty: Assessing Prospects for Peace in Lebanon
May 2008 | On the surface, peace has broken out in Lebanon, bringing to an end the 18-month political impasse. However, many questions remain. Alistair Harris, a Beirut-based expert on security and reform, explores these issues.
Iraq’s Interior Ministry: Frustrating Reform
May 2008 | Iraq's Ministry of Interior has been fraught with rivalries since 2003. How can it address these challenges?
Analyzing Iran's Domestic Political Landscape
May 2008 | The surprising success of Iran's "third way" movement in the March 2008 parliamentary elections may pose a significant challenge in the country's 2009 presidential election.
Is Liberia’s Governance and Economic Management Assistance Program a "Necessary Intrusion?"
May 2008 | Liberia's Governance and Economic Management Assistance Program (GEMAP) is improving the country's fiscal profile after years of neglect. Is this internationally-monitored system a "necessary intrusion" into Liberia's sovereignty?
Kenya: Setting the Stage for Durable Peace?
April 2008 | After botched elections, what are the strengths and weaknesses of Kenya’s recent National Accord? Will the deal hold up? What are the costs of withdrawing from the coalition government?
Resurrecting the Wall of Fear: The Human Rights Situation in Syria
April 2008 | Over the past several months, Syrian authorities have engaged in a harsh campaign of repression against leading dissidents and human rights activists. The crackdown, overshadowed by developments elsewhere in the region, has received scant media coverage in the U.S. and Europe.
Iraq After the Surge: Options and Questions
April 2008 | The Bush Administration and Congress face difficult choices in Iraq. How can the relative success during the surge be prolonged and solidified? Should the drawdown continue? When will the Iraqi security forces be ready to take over? What can be done to accelerate political progress?
From Gridlock to Compromise: How Three Laws Could Begin to Transform Iraqi Politics
March 2008 | Iraqi lawmakers, breaking a prolonged stalemate, recently passed key legislation on regional powers, amnesty and the national budget. Five years after the U.S.-led invasion, is rule of law starting to take hold?
