As a national, nonpartisan, independent Institute, the U.S. Institute of Peace draws on our exceptional convening power to create opportunities for diverse audiences to exchange knowledge, experiences, and ideas necessary for creative solutions to difficult challenges. We serve as an important, neutral platform for bringing together government and nongovernment, diplomacy, security, and development actors, and participants across political views. The Institute’s events help shape public policy and priorities to advance peaceful solutions to conflict and strengthen international security.
In Afghanistan and Iraq, Congress provides oversight and resources for U.S. programs to reform local military and police forces. This process is critical to U.S. success, but is little understood. USIP's Security Sector Reform Working Group examined the role of Congress in ensuring that security assistance is effective, serves U.S interests and creates democratic security forces.
Women are an important part of the peacebuilding equation. Too often they are excluded or marginalized in the peace process. Limiting or excluding women in the peacebuilding process not only leaves a critical resource untapped but also hinders a society's recovery. Admission fee is required.
On October 26, 2009, USIP held a panel discussion with Amb. Linton Brooks, Joseph Cirincione, and Thomas Scheber on next steps for the START process and the START Follow-on Treaty.
In the aftermath of violent conflict in countries such as Nepal, public distrust of the police can undermine justice and security sector reform efforts and weaken the rule of law. How can justice and security sector reform be approached in a way that strengthens the rule of law?
The political and socio-cultural position of women in Afghanistan is in transition, particularly in the urban areas of the country. Advances have been made to include women in peacebuilding efforts, as noted by the recently adopted Constitution that grants equal rights for men and women, and as more and more women engage in entrepreneurial activities.
Three weeks after the August 20th national elections, the outcome of the election remains contested. Results posted by Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission show President Hamid Karzai at 54% and his main challenger Dr. Abdullah at 28% with 91.6% of polling stations tallied. But widespread allegations of fraud have marred the results, with over 2000 complaints filed to the Afghan Elections Complaints Commission (ECC). Please join us for a discussion of these issues with experts just ...
Since the signing of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) last year, which committed the U.S. to an unconditional withdrawal of U.S. on a three-year timeline, the withdrawal issue has receded from the American public debate about Iraq. President Obama has set his own timeline that fits comfortably within the SOFA. How much and how fast the U.S. leaves Iraq will nonetheless have a critical effect on U.S. strategic interests in the region. Some Iraqi leaders have publicly stated their openness...
Dr. David Kilcullen and Dr. Andrew Wilder explore the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and the relationship between successful counter-insurgency operations and state-building efforts.
On July 27, 2009, a panel of experts reviewed the destructive potential of a nuclear weapon, and discussed the role of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) as keystone agreements to halt the spread of nuclear weapons technology.
Ambassador Lodhi has long been an expert on Pakistan’s security decisions and on Pakistan’s relations with the United States and the West and is well known in Washington, DC. Her presentation at USIP will review the internal political and security problems that challenge Pakistan from the spread of Taliban influence and extremism, and the impact on Pakistan and its relations with Afghanistan and other neighbors of US and NATO operations in Afghanistan.