Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Seventeen Years After 9/11: Re-examining the Terrorist Threat
Seventeen years ago today, we experienced the gravest attack on our nation since World War II. Everything we thought we knew about protecting the safety of American citizens and security of our shores changed overnight. Americans came face-to-face with an unfamiliar enemy: violent extremists.
Colombia's Peace Experiment: 'Collective Reincorporation'
Up an unpaved track, about a two-hour drive from the nearest town in the eastern Andes, sits a small village that could be mistaken for a Colombian hamlet of crude dwellings and vegetable gardens. But appearances aside, something extraordinary is going on here. The outpost’s population, comprised entirely of former guerrillas who fought for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC, is engaged in an unplanned experiment in building peace.
The Complex Threat of Extremism—And a Pathway to Quashing it for Good
The complex battle against ISIS is a useful microcosm of the terrorist threat at large. Territorial defeats have not led to long-term destruction of terrorist groups. The number of extremists has actually expanded over the last decade.
South Sudan: Recent Sexual Violence Fits a Dismal Pattern
The irony is stark. Just as U.N. bodies, NGOs and civil society groups started to “Orange the World” in November with activities to mark “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence,” in South Sudan, young men dressed in civilian and military clothing attacked and raped an estimated 150 women and girls. The attack, whose victims included children and the elderly, occurred as the victims headed to a food distribution site in the north of the country near Bentiu in the former Unity state.
United and Mobilized, Citizens Can Combat Corruption
December 9 is International Anti-Corruption Day, and this year’s theme emphasizes unity and mobilizing fellow citizens. Nothing could be more appropriate. While the scale of corruption globally makes for a grim outlook, citizens working together around the world have demonstrated time and again that “people power” is an effective means for confronting fraud and abuse.
What’s Next for Nuclear Negotiations with North Korea?
Assuming that both President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were sincere about meeting in Singapore on June 12, it seems the summit’s cancellation was caused by poor diplomacy and messaging, like a bad game of telephone.
Down But Not Out: Extremists’ Evolving Strategy
The U.S. State Department Bureau of Counterterrorism recently released its annual report on terrorism. The report concludes that despite the success of efforts to dismantle ISIS, “the terrorist landscape grew more complex.” Extremist groups such as ISIS, al-Qaida, and their affiliates are proving resilient and adjusting to heightened counterterrorism pressure with new attempts to destabilize, seize, and govern territory in fragile states.
Affirming Peace as a Practical Alternative to Violence
Let's be honest, “peace” is a word that sometimes gets a bad rap. People attach skeptical connotations to it. It can sound idealistic, even utopian when compared to the violence we see in the news every day. But peace is also something very practical. It is urgent, and something we can all choose to work toward.
Breaking Down Barriers for Women and Youth in Afghanistan
The simple fact that Afghans participated in the recent parliamentary elections is no small sign of their commitment to democratic values and determination to have a say in the future of their country. Despite a recent, significant increase in attacks by violent extremist groups, a deteriorating...
Remembering Princeton Lyman
The U.S. Institute of Peace mourns the loss of Ambassador Princeton Lyman, the Institute’s first advisor emeritus. Princeton was a lifelong public servant of the highest integrity and a tireless advocate for peace, who made immense contributions to U.S. foreign policy as well as the Institute and its work to prevent violent conflict.