Events

Under Saddam Hussein, a complex web of intelligence and security institutions protected the regime and repressed the Iraqi people.  Underfunded and mismanaged, the Iraqi police were least among those institutions and unprepared to secure the streets when Coalition Forces arrived in 2003 and disbanded the rest of the security apparatus.  Iraq’s police forces have made important strides, and some 400,000 Iraqi police have been trained and stationed across the country.  However, with the U.S. drawdown in Iraq, the future of the Iraqi police and U.S. police assistance is uncertain.  On February 29, the United States Institute of Peace and the Institute for the Study of War will co-host a panel of distinguished experts who will discuss the history of the Iraqi police and the U.S. police assistance program in Iraq. 

Rebuilding economies after protracted chaos or violent conflict requires careful thought and political courage. By creating dynamic and inclusive growth, reconstruction zones could help countries stand on their own feet, consolidate peace, and overcome the unsustainable aid dependency to which they have grown accustomed. This event examines the validity of this approach, using Afghanistan and Pakistan as case studies.

Webcast: This event is now full and we are no longer accepting RSVPs for audience attendance. However, you can still participate by watching the live webcast and joining the online discussion beginning at 2:00pm EST on February 9, 2012. If you have already RSVP'd, you may still attend the event.

In May, President Obama defined the Arab Spring as a “historic opportunity” to redefine and strengthen America’s relationships in the Middle East, demonstrating that “America values the dignity of the street vendor . . . more than the raw power of the dictator.” One year after the “Jasmine Revolution” in Tunisia, has the promise of the Arab Awakening been realized? Please join former national security adviser Stephen Hadley and former Jordanian foreign minister Marwan Muasher on Wednesday, January 18, as they lead an analysis and discussion of what the Arab Awakening means for 2012.

In advance of the upcoming International Engagement Conference for South Sudan, USIP is hosting an event to highlight "Getting it Right from the Start: Priorities for Action in the New Republic of South Sudan," a recent report from a consortium of international nongovernmental organizations active in South Sudan. Following the presentation of the report, experts including a representative from the Government of South Sudan will discuss the recommendations and the way forward on critical peace and development issues.

Regional and global security experts addressed questions on the links between the fields of security and conflict management and the balance between regional/local security initiatives and global ones. The discussion centered on the themes of USIP’s book, "Rewiring Regional Security in a Fragmented World", edited by Chester A. Crocker, Fen Olsen Hampson, and Pamela Aall.