Publications
Articles, publications, books, tools and multimedia features from the U.S. Institute of Peace provide the latest news, analysis, research findings, practitioner guides and reports, all related to the conflict zones and issues that are at the center of the Institute’s work to prevent and reduce violent conflict.
USIP’s Work on the ISIS Threat
The U.S. Institute of Peace has operated on the ground in Iraq since 2003 and in Afghanistan since 2002, as well as in Libya, Nigeria, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen. As a small, agile institution, USIP works with local leaders and the U.S. government, including the military, to stabilize areas devastated by ISIS, end cycles of revenge, and address the root causes of radicalization, including corrupt and abusive governance.
Sarhang Hamasaeed on Iraq’s Government Formation
Four months after Iraq held elections, a new government has yet to form as the majority Shia factions remain divided. Sarhang Hamasaeed discusses the complicated route to forming a government and the recent unrest in Basra aimed at the current government for its failure to provide electricity and other basic services.
Sarhang Hamasaeed on Iraq’s Elections
Following the surprise win by controversial Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his Sairoon coalition in Iraq’s May 12 parliamentary elections, a new coalition government has yet to form. USIP’s Sarhang Hamasaeed analyzes what led to al-Sadr’s victory, low voter turnout at the polls, the state of the political process in Iraq, and Iraqis’ expectations for meaningful reform from the next government.
Elie Abouaoun on Iraq a Year After the Fall of ISIS
Live from Baghdad as Iraqis celebrate the one-year anniversary of the fall of ISIS, Elie Abouaoun says that there is a sense of relief in the country over the terrorist group’s defeat and that elections happened this year. To maintain this positive momentum, adds Abouaoun, Iraq’s infrastructure must be rebuilt, and measures should be taken to reinforce social cohesion at the local level.
Fighting Serious Crimes
Fighting Serious Crimes: Strategies and Tactics for Conflict-Affected Societies is an invaluable resource for anyone battling serious crimes in societies seeking to avoid conflict, to escape from violence, or to recover and rebuild. Packed with practical guidance, this volume includes real world examples from more than twenty of today’s conflict zones, including Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Colombia.
Mike Yaffe on Iraq and Syria Event
Following USIP’s event “Iraq and Syria: Views from the U.S. Administration, Military Leaders and the Region,” Mike Yaffe provides key takeaways from the panel featuring CENTCOM Commander General Votel, USAID Administrator Green, and Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS McGurk. "Iraq and Syria are complex and starkly different from one another," says Yaffe, "but the key goals are the same: concentrate on defeating ISIS and work by, with, and through local people to stabilize each country."
Reconciliation in Iraq
Daniel Serwer participated in a briefing session sponsored by Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Congressman Chris Shays (R-CT) on reconciliation progress in Iraq and USIP’s programs there. Serwer was joined by representatives from the Congressional Research Service and the Government Accountability Office.
The U.S. Experience with Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Iraq and Afghanistan
Robert Perito testified before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations alongside the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, Stuart Bowen. Perito summarized the three functions PRTs perform—governance, reconstruction and security—and offered recommendations to improve their operations and effectiveness.
A Third Way: Alternatives for Iraq’s Future
Paul Hughes testified on "A Third Way: Alternatives for Iraq’s Future" before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Suicide Bombers in Iraq
USIP grantee Mohammed Hafez briefed staff on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on his recently USIP-published book Suicide Bombers in Iraq: The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom. Hafez is a visiting professor at the University of Missouri, Kansas City.