UPDATED: June 23, 2011

 Experts from the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) are closely following developments in Afghanistan, Pakistan and U.S. policy. In a series of reports and interviews, they cover a wide range of issues.

Military Strategy Alone Cannot Lead to Durable Peace in Afghanistan
June 23, 2011 | News Feature by Andrew Wilder
USIP’s Andrew Wilder comments on President Barack Obama’s call to draw down U.S. forces and why achieving durable peace in Afghanistan is essential for U.S. national security.

President Obama Calls for Troop Drawdown
June 23, 2011 | News Feature by Gordon Lubold
President Barack Obama announced June 22 he would bring 10,000 American troops home by December and the remaining 23,000 “surge” troops back by the end of next summer, thus ending the surge he announced at West Point in 2009.

President Obama's Afghanistan Speech
June 22, 2011 | On the Issues by Andrew Wilder
A preview of the president’s speech and how it is likely to play out in Afghanistan.

USIP Reports from Afghanistan
June 2011 | On the Issues by Shahmahmood Miakhel
USIP’s Shahmahmood Miakhel, who heads the Institute’s office in Kabul, discusses the state of play in Afghanistan as the U.S. debates its strategy in Afghanistan.

Afghan Perspectives on Achieving Durable Peace
June 2011 | Peace Brief by Peace Brief by Hamish Nixon
This brief outlines key findings from the first phase of research on Afghan stakeholder views on the conflict. The author worked in Afghanistan for the World Bank and the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit from 2005-2010, and has researched governance and peace processes in Southeast Asia, Central America and Afghanistan.

Promoting Stability and Resolving Provincial Disputes in Afghanistan
June 2011 | Peace Brief by Shahmahmood Miakhel and Noah Coburn
Currently numerous disputes at the local level are unresolved in Afghanistan, leading to local instability, a growing distance between the government and people and encouraging communities to turn to the Taliban. In March 2010, USIP began working with local elders, government officials (particularly governors and officials from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs) and religious figures to address a range of disputes in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces in eastern Afghanistan.

Achieving Durable Peace in Afghanistan
June 14, 2011 | News Feature by Gordon Lubold
The July deadline for the beginning of a drawdown of American troops from Afghanistan is looming, and the debate in Washington is increasingly focused now on how reconciliation and reintegration efforts will affect the long-term peace process. Experts from Capitol Hill, Kabul and Washington think tanks gathered at USIP on June 13 to discuss how to build a “durable peace” in Afghanistan.

USIP's Afghan Rule of Law at Work: Strengthening Long-Term Security
June 7, 2011 | News Feature by Thomas Omestad
USIP was among the first organizations to focus on law and justice issues in Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks and the U.S.-led campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaida in 2001. Since 2002, USIP has been studying traditional dispute resolution in the country.

The Silver Bullet: India-Pakistan Normalization
May 23, 2011 | News Feature by Moeed Yusuf
If one were asked to identify the top two or three developments that could promote sustained stability in Pakistan, and even peace in South Asia, all of them would be directly or indirectly linked to India-Pakistan normalization.

After Osama bin Laden: The Future of Pakistan and Afghan Reconciliation
May 19, 2011 | News Feature by Gordon Lubold
USIP experts discuss how the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden impacts Pakistan, the prospects for Afghan reconciliation and U.S. policy in the region.

Afghans Present Complex Reaction to the Death of Osama bin Laden
May 11, 2011 | News Feature by Andrew Wilder and Stephanie Flamenbaum
While the response to the death of Osama bin Laden in the United States was largely euphoric, in Afghanistan, arguably the country most impacted by bin Laden and al-Qaida, the response has been one of concern and caution. In order to parse this response, USIP reached out to a number of our Afghan partners and friends for their response to events of May 1.

Advancing Peace Education in Afghanistan
May 3, 2011 | News Feature by Jeremy Moore
The war in Afghanistan has had a negative effect on Afghan children, who have been exposed to extreme levels of violence and often see aggression as the primary means to resolve conflict.

Bin Laden: What does it mean for Peace?
May 2011 | News Feature by Gordon Lubold
USIP’s Special Adviser, Muslim World Initiative Steve Heydemann; Senior Program Officer Col. Paul Hughes; Military Fellow Col. John Maraia; and South Asia Adviser Moeed Yusuf react to Osama bin Laden's death.

Osama bin Laden's Death in Pakistan
May 2011 | News Feature by Moeed Yusuf
USIP's Moeed Yusuf discusses the death of Osama bin Laden and the implications for Pakistan.

Assessing U.S. Policy and Its Limits in Pakistan
May 5, 2011 | Congressional Testimony by Moeed Yusuf
USIP South Asia Adviser, Moeed Yusuf, testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on U.S.-Pakistan Relations.

Strengthening Local Capacities for Dispute Resolution in Afghanistan
May 2011 | Grant Highlight by Barmak Pazhwak
Decades of war in Afghanistan have undermined the legitimacy of the government and have decimated the capacity of local conflict resolution and mediation systems. In the absence of functioning state institutions, generations of young people are largely deprived of educational opportunities and meaningful employment prospects. In rural villages, this is exacerbated by the resettlement of refugees and IDPs, causing a rise in the number of conflicts between individuals and communities over access and rights to scarce commodities.

The Impact of Osama bin Laden's Death on al-Qaida
May 2011 | On the Issues by Colonel John Maraia
USIP's Army Fellow, Col. John Maraia discusses the impact of Osama bin Laden's death on al-Qaida and U.S. counter-terrorism activities.

Who Controls Pakistan's Security Forces?
April 2011 | News Feature by Gordon Lubold
USIP hosted a panel discussion April 19 on the state of Pakistan’s security forces that looked at the political and security dynamics at play and how they affect the military.

Starting an Af-Pak Dialogue
April 2011 | News Feature by Thomas Omestad
Since early 2010, USIP’s Cross-Border Dialogue Initiative has brought together more than 300 people, teaching the skills of policy advocacy and negotiation and, at the same time, building bridges between communities suffering from endemic violence and separated by a tense national border.

Training U.S. Advisers, Building Afghan Ministries
April 2011 | News Feature by Gordon Lubold
When the Pentagon decided to deploy senior civilian advisers to Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense last May, it turned to the expertise at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).