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December 2003
Vol. X, No. 1
ON THE HILL
Senator Harkin Hails Institute Work
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During the Senate debate of President Bush's request for an $87 billion aid package for Iraq and Afghanistan, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin spoke eloquently about the importance of the Institute and encouraged his colleagues to support additional funding for the Institute's activities in Iraq. The final version of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wartime Supplemental, signed by President Bush on November 6, 2003, included an additional $10 million for Institute activities relating to Iraq. The following is excerpted from Senator Harkin's full statement, as reported in the Congressional Record.
"We have been debating the President's request for $87 billion in supplemental funds for Iraq and Afghanistan. At times, it has seemed that we in the Senate agree on very little. But there is one goal that I believe every Senator strongly endorses: We all want to bring our American troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq as soon as possible.
"Without so much as batting an eye, we appropriate billions for war, billions for weapons, and billions for post-war reconstruction. Meanwhile, it seems that we overlook one key activity—conflict resolution and peacemaking.… The U.S. Government has one agency that can help to reduce conflict, build democratic institutions, and even assist in the drafting of the new Iraqi constitution—all prerequisites to bringing our troops home sooner rather than later. I am talking about the United States Institute of Peace. This institute has a proven track record of accomplishing those prerequisites which I just mentioned.
"Time and again in recent years—including in Iraq—our Nation has shown that it is brilliant at winning wars. But time and again, we have had difficulty winning the peace. As we continue to increase funding for the Department of Defense by tens of billions of dollars each year, we must also be generous in our support and funding for this all-important agency, the United States Institute of Peace."
[Senator Harkin's statement laid the basis for subsequent bipartisan Senate and House appropriation, at the initiative of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, of $10 million for the Institute for programs related to post-conflict stabilization in Afghanistan and Iraq.]
Solomon Testifies on the Hill on Palestinian Education
Richard H. Solomon, president of the United States Institute of Peace, testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education on October 30 about the Institute's activities to promote educational reform in the Middle East. Following are excerpts of his remarks:
"We are here today to discuss an issue that is at the core of the Institute's mandate: educating people in the perspectives of tolerance and mutual understanding, and training professionals in the skills of conflict management and resolution.
"We recognize that educating for peace is not a substitute for a successful political process. In an atmosphere poisoned by relentless violence, it is tempting to conclude that education and other dialogue programs are either irrelevant or impossible to sustain. But such a conclusion ignores the reality that any peace process can be sustained only with broad public support.
"The Institute's ongoing work with Israeli and Palestinian educators, religious leaders, and legal experts, even in the face of terrorist violence, sustains hope among leaders in these societies, leaders who some day will be the builders of peace. These are the people, in both societies, whose support will be critical to any future peace agreement negotiated by political leadership.… Confronting deeply held conflicting views of history and territory, much less revising them in the interest of accommodation with an adversary, is one of the most difficult and long-term tasks in conflict resolution. But such changes in attitude are essential to helping peace take root and preventing future outbreaks of conflict. The U.S. Institute of Peace is committing its resources to supporting Israelis, Palestinians, and other communities in conflict to educate their children for peace by teaching conflict resolution skills and promoting the values of mutual understanding, tolerance, and respect for the other."
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