In 2011, U.S. president Barack Obama announced plans to "pivot" toward Asia. In 2012, Chinese president Xi Jinping expressed his hope for "a new type of relationship" with the United States. A lack of strategic trust between the two countries, however,… Read more
The U.S. relationship with Afghan president Hamid Karzai deteriorated from a warm start to suspicion and hostility over the course of Karzai’s term. Intertwining personal and political considerations, this report examines how aspects of the Afghan… Read more
Special envoys or representatives have been used by nearly every administration to address high-stakes conflicts and to address situations with a degree of attention outside the capacity of the State Department and other regular bureaucratic structures… Read more
This report focuses on one of the central debates on Pakistan in Washington: how to deal with this troubled and troubling ally in the months and years ahead. While views are divided, the rising frustrations with Pakistan have led many to lose patience… Read more
This brief summarizes the perceptions of Pakistani foreign policy elite about Pakistan’s strategy and interests in Afghanistan, its view of the impending “end game”, and the implications of its policies towards Afghanistan for the U.S.-Pakistan… Read more
Two seasoned NGOs engage nonstate combatants on international human rights law to get them to change behaviors, from eliminating use of landmines to protecting civilians. Their work can inform and complement other attempts at engagement. Summary… Read more
While China continues to call for US respect of its core interests as a means toward greater cooperation on the Korean Peninsula and global climate change, the United States prefers an immediate focus on cooperating on those common concerns. A leading… Read more
Summary Sino-U.S. cooperation should be based on the pursuit of mutual interests rather than on a framework of mutual respect for “core interests,” as pledged in the 2009 Joint Statement. There is a perception in Beijing that when China assists the… Read more
At a USIP public event held on October 19, 2010, researchers presented a mapping conducted by Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society and Morningside Analytics. The event was part of USIP’s ongoing Blogs and Bullets initiative. This… Read more
In response to the recent surge in the number of American Muslims involved in terrorist activities, several agencies in the U.S. government have begun devising a comprehensive counterradicalization strategy. In doing so, they are following the lead of… Read more
This report offers a framework for institutionalizing security sector reform (SSR) within the U.S. government. It is informed by the work of the Institute’s Initiative for Security Sector Governance and presentations at its June 29–30, 2010, conference, … Read more
The spread of old and new infectious diseases constitutes both a threat to U.S. and global security and peace and an opportunity for the United States to burnish its international image through strengthening foreign capacity in infectious disease… Read more