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.
The Limits of Beijing’s Support for Myanmar’s Military
Since late 2022, Beijing has increasingly signaled the limits of its support for Myanmar’s junta against pro-democracy forces and protection against international efforts to hold the army accountable for its crimes. In particular, Beijing has demonstrated a reluctance when doing the junta’s bidding internationally results in significant political costs vis-à-vis its relations with Southeast Asian states or its reputation at the United Nations.
NATO: Keep Urging Turkey to Admit Sweden, Finland as Allies
Nearly nine months after Sweden and Finland applied to join the NATO alliance, Turkey continues to block their accessions. Turkey’s obstruction persists even though the applicants have now met many of its demands, and in spite of sustained high-level engagement from the United States and NATO’s secretary general. Turkish presidential elections, scheduled for May, make a breakthrough unlikely anytime soon. But Sweden’s response to the recent Turkish earthquakes could provide an unexpected opportunity for renewed progress. It is in the U.S. interest, and that of Europe’s future peace and stability, to keep up the effort. The window between now and NATO’s July summit in Vilnius will be crucial for patient diplomacy, backed by pressure, to break the deadlock.
Andrew Wells-Dang on U.S.-Vietnam Ties 50 Years After the Paris Peace Accords
Fifty years ago, the accords led to the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Vietnam, marking an important step toward a post-war settlement between the United States and Vietnam. Now, “There is a lot of cooperation on economic issues, education, security and on resolving the legacies of the war … we have a comprehensive partnership that is 10 years old,” says USIP’S Andrew Wells-Dang.
Ukraine’s Year of War: What Does It Mean?
One agonizing year after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his all-out war on Ukraine, the pictures and stories of brutal inhumanity have at times been numbing: a 21st-century resurgence in Europe of violence that recalls the Nazi Holocaust or the worst excesses of the Balkan wars. For average citizens as well as policymakers, the deluge of news and the layers of concerns — for Ukraine, for European stability, and for a world free of such warfare — can make it hard to pull out key focal points. With no end to this conflict now in sight, Ambassador William Taylor discusses how we might assess this past year and focus on next steps.
India and Pakistan Are Playing a Dangerous Game in the Indus Basin
On January 25, India sent a notice to Pakistan demanding the modification of the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan has so far refused to engage. The treaty, which India, Pakistan and the World Bank originally signed in 1960, allocates rights over the waters of several rivers in the Indus Basin to India and Pakistan.
Africa’s Sahel Needs a Coordinated Plan on Extremist Violence
The African Union held its summit last weekend in the dark shadow of escalating bloodshed amid the violent extremist upheavals of the Sahel region. The surge in violence underscores a need to redouble regional and international efforts to address multiple, simultaneous crises in a holistic and unified manner that goes beyond the security-focused response that has characterized efforts to curb the violence to date.
Fragile States Provide Extremists Fertile Ground to Recruit and Grow
Editor’s Note: Below are the excerpts of an interview originally published by the European Eye on Radicalization with USIP’s Mona Yacoubian about the various drivers of terrorism and constructive ways to address the phenomenon. She says the fragility of states provide an enabling environment for terrorists to operate and underscores the various ways that extremists benefit from this environment.
Elite Capture and Corruption of Security Sectors
The objective of US security sector assistance is to help build effective, accountable, responsive, transparent, and legitimate security sectors in partner nations to address common security risks. Such action ultimately benefits US national interests, as when the United States modernized West Germany’s military during the Cold War; when US security sector support to South Korea helped the United States deter regional threats; and when, in Ukraine, US security sector assistance contributed to success in fending off Russian aggression in 2022. Similarly, the United States helped Georgia turn its traffic police into one of the most trusted institutions in the country, supported Albania as it updated the governance of its security forces, and assisted Colombia in making progress toward ending its long-standing armed conflict.
Beijing and the Balloon: The Unbearable Lightness of Being China
On February 2, a high-altitude air balloon was sighted over Montana and over the following days the focal point of conversation for people across the United States became the white airship aloft 60,000 feet above the earth. Inquiring minds wanted to know what it was, what it was doing and from whence it came.
U.S., Iraq Emphasize Economic Cooperation as Core of Strategic Partnership
Sarhang Hamasaeed looks at the key priorities for the U.S.-Iraq partnership, the challenges and opportunities for Iraq’s new government, joint efforts to address the human legacy of ISIS and how Washington can help stabilize Iraq’s economy.