USIP, through its Grant Program and other units, has a long history of supporting significant media and public education projects in and about zones of active conflict. These activities are consistent with the Institute's goal of improving the knowledge of local, American and other foreign audiences, as part of its broader mission to help manage violence and promote peacebuilding efforts. In particular, notable work has been undertaken in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which are high priorities for U.S. foreign policy and national security.
In April 2010, Public Radio International (PRI) was awarded a grant to support a two-year project to investigate key challenges facing these two countries, the links between them, and the impact of past and emerging U.S. policy. PRI's extensive coverage is shedding important light on the current state of the conflict in Afghanistan and the role certain elements in Pakistan play in encouraging the growth of Islamist militancy across the region. To date, "The World," public radio's premier daily global news program, has featured more than a dozen in-depth field reports produced by journalists Ben Gilbert and Madiha Tahrir for its "Drawn on Water" series, and aired more than 40 other stories. One focus is how the U.S. and its NATO allies can transition responsibility for the security sector to Afghan National Security Forces by the end of 2014. PRI has brought a distinctive frontline perspective on this topic to its sizeable radio and online audiences via interviews and interactive discussions with commanders and troops, conducted as part of military embeds. Several related reports have also examined police training. In addition, a recent series in May 2011 addressed the raid that resulted in the killing of Osama bin Laden, including eliciting Pakistani perspectives on how this major development affects their country's relationship with the U.S. and reflecting on the implications for U.S. and NATO military involvement in Afghanistan.
An external evaluation praised PRI's project as "highly successful... for helping Americans understand the complex issues U.S. military forces face on a day-to-day basis in Pakistan and Afghanistan... PRI is to be commended for continuing to provide first-rate coverage of AfPak, a region that is of vital interest to the United States."
