Bhutto Zardari: Pakistan Should Expand Counterterrorism Activities to All Provinces

Bhutto Zardari: Pakistan Should Expand Counterterrorism Activities to All Provinces

Monday, February 8, 2016

By: Gopal Ratnam

The Pakistani government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif must expand its counterterrorism operations to all provinces and implement a 2015 national plan to achieve the stated goal of eradicating militant groups, said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, leader of the opposition Pakistan People’s Party. Failure to take these steps risks undermining the nation’s fragile progress, he said.

Type: Analysis

Violent ExtremismDemocracy & Governance

Q&A: Muslim Scholars Pledge Support for Religious Minorities

Q&A: Muslim Scholars Pledge Support for Religious Minorities

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Muslim scholars and intellectuals from more than 120 countries issued a new pledge of support last week for the protection and freedom of religious minorities in Muslim-majority communities. Susan Hayward, USIP’s director of religion and inclusive societies and an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, attended the three-day conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, as a supporter, and explains the significance of the pronouncement.

Type: Analysis

Violent ExtremismReligionGlobal Policy

Preventing Violent Extremism through Inclusive Politics in Bangladesh

Preventing Violent Extremism through Inclusive Politics in Bangladesh

Thursday, January 14, 2016

By: Geoffrey Macdonald

Bangladesh has a long history of political and electoral violence that has shaped its political culture. Since the early 2000s, it has experienced a renewal of violent extremism and an increasingly polarized political climate. By addressing the relationship between radicalization and institutional dysfunctions, this Peace Brief examines how Bangladesh can help undermine the issues that bolster radicalization efforts by strengthening political and social institutions and making them more inclu...

Type: Peace Brief

Violent ExtremismDemocracy & GovernanceReligion

Iraq Research: Sense of Injustice Is Key to Violent Extremism

Iraq Research: Sense of Injustice Is Key to Violent Extremism

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

By: Fred Strasser

Three years of public polling in Iraq by Mercy Corps has put hard figures to an often-cited theory about the spread and attraction of violent extremism. More than poverty, joblessness or any other dispute or social ill, it is the perception—or reality—of injustice that fuels support for armed opposition groups.

Type: Analysis

Violent ExtremismReconciliationDemocracy & GovernanceJustice, Security & Rule of Law

The Forced Return of Afghan Refugees and Implications for Stability

The Forced Return of Afghan Refugees and Implications for Stability

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

By: Belquis Ahmadi;  Sadaf Lakhani

Afghan refugees have been returning home from Pakistan and Iran in growing numbers, and many of these returns have been involuntary. The situation is adding stress to an already challenging environment, characterized by insecurity, lack of access to employment and services, land and housing tensions, and rapid urbanization. This brief presents important considerations for developing a clear, well-coordinated strategy that addresses the impacts of large-scale returns and the specific needs of ...

Type: Peace Brief

Fragility & ResilienceViolent ExtremismJustice, Security & Rule of LawHuman Rights

Security and Social Developments in Kunduz

Security and Social Developments in Kunduz

Thursday, December 17, 2015

By: Peyton Cooke;  Eliza Urwin

Long-standing social and political grievances, combined with an unresponsive, factionalized government and abusive militias, facilitated the Taliban’s capture of Kunduz in September 2015. The fall of Kunduz raised questions regarding future political and security implications across the northeast region of Afghanistan. This Peace Brief highlights findings from interviews with a range of actors comparing what the government’s political and security response should look like and what it’s expec...

Type: Peace Brief

Violent ExtremismJustice, Security & Rule of LawDemocracy & Governance

Poor Planning, Coordination Cited in Afghan Intervention

Poor Planning, Coordination Cited in Afghan Intervention

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

By: Gopal Ratnam

Failings by the United States and its NATO partners in the early stages of the 15-year-long war in Afghanistan have prolonged that country’s need for international troops and economic help, U.S. and German officials said in a recent forum at the U.S. Institute of Peace that examined the lessons learned during the past decade.

Type: Analysis

Justice, Security & Rule of LawViolent ExtremismCivilian-Military RelationsGlobal Policy

Urgent Imperative: Get Afghanistan’s Government Working

Urgent Imperative: Get Afghanistan’s Government Working

Thursday, December 10, 2015

By: James Rupert

Ten weeks after the Taliban briefly captured Kunduz, Afghanistan’s fifth-largest city, neither the fractured government nor the country’s political class is showing signs of heeding that wake-up call—or the other flashing warnings that the 14-month-old government is close to failure. While the United States quickly announced the reversal of its planned withdrawal of forces from the country, the factions in Kabul must figure out how to cooperate in governing, and Washington must do all it can to advance that, analysts say.

Type: Analysis

Violent ExtremismDemocracy & Governance

Q&A: The Siege in Mali

Q&A: The Siege in Mali

Friday, November 20, 2015

By: USIP Staff

As militant gunmen seize a hotel in the capital of the West African state of Mali, U.S. Institute of Peace Program Specialist Emily Fornof offers context for the incident. Fornof served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali, and is conducting graduate research on the country’s conflicts at George Mason University.

Type: Analysis

Violent ExtremismDemocracy & Governance