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.
Amid Red Sea Rivalries, Eritrea Plays for Independence
When Eritrea’s president last month hosted the leaders of Ethiopia and Somalia to discuss “regional cooperation,” that initiative drew few global headlines. Still, Eritrea’s move should be noted by policymakers and others working for stability in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region. For years, President Isaias Afwerki’s disdain for multilateral forums such as the African Union, and his strained relations with many governments in the region, have contributed to caricatures of Eritrea as the “North Korea of Africa.” But his invitation for two neighbors to discuss a new regional bloc reflects an important factor in Eritrea’s foreign policy: its efforts to preserve its independence in a fast-evolving geopolitical environment.
Negotiating Arab-Israeli Peace: Questions and Answers
1. What were the motivating factors for publishing this book? Since the end of the Cold War—when the strategic environment seemed so promising for Mideast peace—failures in U.S. diplomacy have far outweighed successes. Understanding why our track record has been so poor, and applying those lessons for future negotiators, were the twin motivating factors behind this project. The existing memoirs and insider accounts are incomplete. Moreover, none of the numerous analytical wo...
How We Missed the Story: Questions and Answers
1. Two successive U.S. administrations were unable to head off the assault of 9/11. What went wrong? Democrats and Republicans walked away from Afghanistan as a place of American concern after the fall of the Soviet installed regime.
Suicide Bombers in Iraq: Questions and Answers
Questions and Answers
On the Issues: North Korea
The White House said North Korea had taken "a serious step in the wrong direction" when the regime expelled international inspectors from the country and announced it would restart its nuclear program. USIP’s John S. Park provides regional context to the latest developments.
Questions and Answers
How does the presence of oil resources in developing countries present a paradox?
On the Issues: Somalia
Raymond Gilpin, Associate Vice President and director of USIP’s Sustainable Economies Center of Innovation, talked about this new development, factors fueling Somali piracy, and offers policy options to address the problem.
Terror on the Internet: Questions and Answers
What are the key elements of terrorism? Acts of terrorism are premeditated, politically motivated, and directed at civilians and are perpetrated by subnational groups rather than by the army of a state. Terrorism is a form of psychological warfare that seeks to spread fear, mistrust, and helplessness among the ordinary citizens of a society. Modern terrorists rely heavily on the mass media and use a constant stream of broadcasting (radio, television, video, and the Internet) to achieve the f...
On the Issues: Iran
Daniel Brumberg, acting director of USIP's Muslim World Initiative, discusses the recent meeting between senior U.S. officials and Iranian diplomats during an international conference at the Hague on March 31. This meeting represents the Obama administration's biggest step so far to reestablish dialogue with the Islamic Republic after 30 years of hostility.
On the Issues: Philippines
In the Philippines, a peace agreement—eleven years in the making—between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is now in question because of a Supreme Court decision. Renewed violence has broken out. Eugene Martin, who directed USIP's Philippine Facilitation Project between 2003 and 2007, discusses the situation.