Question And Answer
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.
Scott Smith on What’s Next in the Afghan Peace Process
The Afghan government and Taliban announced an agreement on a prisoner exchange this week, but it remains unclear what comes next. With the presidential election still undecided, “The question is if this is the beginning of a new peace strategy on the part of President Ghani, will he be the president a few months from now to carry that strategy forward?” asks USIP’s Scott Smith.
Intra-Afghan Peace Negotiations: How Might They Work
Recent positive developments in the Afghan peace process have renewed hopes that the country’s 17-year-old conflict could come to a close. Direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban, however, are likely to involve complex constitutional questions. This Special Report provides...
Securing Afghanistan: Getting on Track
New USIP report, "Securing Afghanistan," strengthens case for urgent, sustainable reforms. This first-ever comprehensive analysis of international security assistance shows many donors have not met their Afghan commitments. A lack of focus on long-term sustainability, an inability to map the entirety of donor nations' security assistance programs and the subsequent failure on the part of the international community to understand precisely what is needed in Afghanistan are among the leading re...
Resolving the Pakistan- Afghanistan Stalemate
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the neighboring regions would all benefit from a recognized open border between the two countries. What are the challenges to this objective?
Thwarting Afghanistan’s Insurgency: A Pragmatic Approach toward Peace and Reconciliation
Afghanistan is in a crucial phase of transition. In this report, USIP's first Afghanistan fellow Masoom Stanekzai, who has interviewed a broad spectrum of Afghan senior government officials, members of the international community, and ordinary citizens in the country, shares his recommendations for a pragmatic approach toward peace and reconciliation.
Managing Natural Resource Wealth
Natural resource-rich countries demonstrate a higher than average risk both of experiencing conflict and of returning to conflict. Jill Shankleman provides lessons from Iraq, Sudan, Angola, Liberia, and Afghanistan.
Afghanistan and Its Neighbors: An Ever Dangerous Neighborhood
The fate of Afghanistan and the success of U.S. and coalition efforts to stabilize Afghanistan will in large measure be affected by the current and future policies pursued by its varied proximate and distal neighbors. Weinbaum evaluates the courses of action Afghanistan's key neighbors are likely to take.
Media and Conflict: Afghanistan as a Relative Success Story
The development of media in post-Taliban Afghanistan has been relatively successful. However, such development remains incomplete and still faces many challenges. Hence, the international community must continue to assist and support these efforts.
The U.S. Experience with Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan: Lessons Identified
Important lessons for current and future U.S. peace and stability operations can be found in the experiences of Americans who served in Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in Afghanistan. PRTs are small, joint civilian-military organizations whose mission is to promote governance, security, and reconstruction throughout the country.
Provincial Reconstruction Teams: Military Relations with International and Nongovernmental Organizations in Afghanistan
Summary Deployed in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) combine military personnel and civilian staff from the diplomatic corps and developmental agencies. Their mission is to: extend the authority of the Afghan central government, promote and enhance security, and facilitate humanitarian relief and reconstruction operations. Twenty PRTs were currently in operation throughout Afghanistan as of June 2005: thirteen staffed by the U.S.-le...