Peace Policy

January 2012 — The U.S. government’s list of “Foreign Terrorist Organizations” is a central part of a counter-terrorism strategy based on the isolation of individuals and groups who espouse violence defined as terrorism. Peacebuilding, on the other hand, proposes a strategy of engagement and deliberative dialogue, inclusive of all views.

October 2011 — In March 2011, the UN Security Council authorized a no-fly zone over Libya. What began as a limited mission to prevent a massacre quickly morphed into a policy of armed regime change.

April 2011 — In January, in a largely peaceful referendum process, South Sudan voted to become an independent nation. Now work continues to sustain the peace.

November 2010 — As the scale of the military intervention in Afghanistan has increased, so has violence and the influence of the Taliban. Reversing this deadly dynamic will require a new approach to security, one that includes strong support for the enhanced status and well-being of Afghan women.

May 2010 – Religious communities around the world exercise extraordinary influence on every aspect of life, including government, education, health care, business, and culture. These groups include virulent anti-American extremists as well as devout ‘militants for peace and justice.’ In the middle are millions of believers who would welcome an open palm from the United States rather than a clenched fist.