Can We Prevent The Next War?

The enormous human and financial costs of current violent conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, and elsewhere have prompted renewed attention to our ability to prevent conflicts from becoming violent. In his speech last month at West Point, President Obama stated, "America will have to show our strength in the way that we end wars and prevent conflict -- not just how we wage wars." Yet, our strategic thinking, institutions, and political culture have not been geared to meet these challenges -- particularly the unique challenge of conflict prevention. Recognizing this, the administration's Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review includes a dedicated group to study "targeting prevention."

USIP brought together leading thinkers on the concepts, tools and strategies for preventing wars instead of fighting them to address key questions: What do we know about how to prevent new conflicts from breaking out? How much progress have the United States and the international community made toward preventing new conflicts? How should policymakers divide limited resources and attention between managing current crises and trying to prevent future ones? How can the United States enhance its own capacity to engage in effective conflict prevention strategies? How feasible are recommendations for the U.S. government to invest more in prevention given serious fiscal and political constraints?

Speakers

• Lawrence Woocher
  Senior Program Officer, Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention, United States Institute of Peace
  Author, Preventing Violent Conflict: Assessing Progress, Meeting Challenges (USIP Special Report 231)
• Paul Stares
  Gen. John W. Vessey Senior Fellow for Conflict Prevention
  Director, Center for Preventive Action, Council on Foreign Relations
  Author, Enhancing U.S. Preventive Action (Council Special Report 48)
• Paula Dobriansky, Discussant
  Senior Fellow, Harvard University's JFK Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
  Former Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs (2005-2009)
• Abiodun Williams, Moderator
  Vice President, Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention, United States Institute of Peace