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.
United States and Coercive Diplomacy
With increasing frequency, U.S. leaders look to achieve their foreign policy goals by marrying diplomacy to military muscle. Since the end of the Cold War, "coercive diplomacy"—the effort to change the behavior of a target state or group through the threat or limited use of military force—has been used in no fewer than eight cases.
Getting It Done
As its title suggests, Getting It Done explores how international regimes accomplish their goals—goals that constantly shift as problems change and the power of member-states shifts.
The Military and the Making of Foreign Policy
Since the end of the Cold War, the U.S. military has been given a challenging array of new assignments, including post-conflict peacekeeping operations and the mission of defeating international terrorism. Has America grown too dependent on the military to manage foreign affairs?
Colombia: Trip Report on Armed Conflict and Society
Describing impressions from his recent trip to Colombia, U.S. Congressman James P. McGovern stresses that the conflict deserves more attention and concern within the United States.
Religious Politics in Iraq
Will the numerically dominant Shiite majority be open to full political collaboration with the Sunni and Christian minorities? Or will the Shiites seek opportunities for dominance?
The Future of Kosovo
Congressional Testimony by Dan Serwer, director of the Balkans Initiative.
A Comprehensive Resolution of the Korean War
Summary Although the Korean War Armistice Agreement stopped the fighting in 1953, it has yet to be replaced by a permanent settlement. A U.S. initiative to convene, under the auspices of the United Nations Security Council, a four-party conference to craft a political settlement of the Korean conflict, in return for the verified dismantling of North Korea's nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, would: Meet the U.S. requirement for a multilateral solution to the nuc...
U.S. Involvement Deepens As Armed Conflict Escalates In Colombia
While American public attention has been focused elsewhere, U.S. engagement in Colombia has been steadily growing, as has the armed conflict there.
Chechnya's Referendum: Towards Dialogue or Dead End?
As conflict in Chechnya continues, civilian casualties have risen, rebel tactics and military abuses have escalated, and dialogue has stalled. A constitutional referendum on March 23, 2003 was timed to coincide with a limited withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya: USIP analyzed its aftermath.
2002–2003 National Winner
Kevin Kiley Granite Bay High School Granite Bay, California Coordinator: Ms. Rita Prichard War causes harm; of this there is no doubt. In determining the justification of war, the question hence becomes: when is it justified to cause harm? The only morally acceptable answer is that causing harm is justified if it prevents further harm. Thus, in general terms, the only justifiable reason to go to war is to minimize harm—if war is the lesser of two evils. Underlying the issue of just and u...