Wednesday, April 17, 2024
These Young Afghans Are Acting Against Corruption
By every available measure, corruption is crippling Afghanistan’s government and fueling the Taliban insurgency. Repeated surveys of Afghans find bribe-taking by officials among the public’s greatest complaints, and the Taliban win popular support by vowing to end such graft. While weak police and judicial systems seem unable to...
Who Can Inspire the Dalai Lama?
Mahmoud Khalil embodies resilience. In 2011, he was preparing to enter a university in Aleppo, Syria, when war broke out, forcing him to flee to Lebanon. Instead of starting school, he became a refugee day laborer. Five years later, at 22, he is completing university studies while helping to educate more than...
To Stabilize Colombia, Follow the Data
A year after Colombia and its FARC rebels signed their peace accord, its implementation has been worryingly slow. But a recent census of demobilizing rebel fighters offers new guidance for Colombian and U.S. policies. The United States has a national security interest in...
The Dalai Lama: 'Sometimes I cry.'
In a conference room at his offices in northern India, the Dalai Lama sat among young civil society leaders trying to build peace in their homelands scarred by violent conflicts. These days, a questio...
In Afghanistan, Too, U.S. and Russia Must ‘De-Conflict’
The South Asia strategy announced in August by President Trump seeks an end to the Afghanistan conflict that eliminates the risk of international terrorism taking root in Afghan soil. This requires the support of other countries...
To Curb Corruption and Violence, the 'Sandwich' Effect
In a Ukraine fighting not only a war in its East but also a second battle against corruption, civic leader activist Taras Shevchenko talks of the need for a “sandwich effect.” Only Ukrainians can solve their own problems, he says. But as the country’s civil society pushes for...
Asia Eyes Trump’s Visit for Signals on North Korea Nukes
As President Trump makes his first official visit to the Asia-Pacific region this week, North Korea will be a top agenda item. Although leaders in Japan, China, and South Korea have different strategies for resolving the crisis, they all will be watching for...
Economy Led Iraq’s Recovery After ISIS… Until Now, Part 2
The recent military movements and clashes between Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga in disputed territories renew the risks to Iraq’s economic outlook and business climate, just as the country was benefiting from a string of...
New Tensions After ISIS Threaten Iraqi Rebuilding, Part 1
The swift moves by Iraqi security forces to retake large portions of disputed territories in northern Iraq from the control of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces that had fought with them against ISIS poses significant risks even beyond the associated security and political perils for both sides. The new strains...
Tillerson Seeks to Stem Taliban Attacks with Kabul, Islamabad Visits
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in brief stops in Kabul and Islamabad during a trip through the Middle East and Asia, sought to further emphasize the administration’s commitment to the war in Afghanistan and to press Pakistan for its support to the fight, says Jay Wise, a Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow on Asia at USIP. Wise analyzes the visits this week and the prospects for the broader U.S. strategy for South Asia.