“Only when Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria fall, can we begin to talk about the beginning of the end of the physical territorial state. We already have plenty of evidence, that… Continue reading
“The Amnesty [Act]’s major limitation was the reintegration component … As a disarmament tool [the Amnesty Act] was excellent.” How were former LRA-combatants reintegrated back into society after the Amnesty Act (2000)? Mr… Continue reading
Linda Polman is a freelance journalist who has been covering peacebuilding and humanitarian aid in the aftermath of war for over 20 years. In War Games (2008) she describes the negative consequences of… Continue reading
Amos Guiora warns that the current American use of drones creates a deeply troubling paradigm. Guiora is Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Center for Global Justice at the S.J. Quinney College of Law… Continue reading
How has the War on Terror impacted the global sense of hope and optimism of the 1990s? Mary Kaldor (Professor of Global Governance at the London School of Economics) explains how visions of a world… Continue reading
Abiodun Williams (President of The Hague Institute for Global Justice) reflects on the Responsibility to Protect and the main critiques it is facing at the moment. Dr Williams worked with then UNSG Kofi Annan when ‘R2P’… Continue reading
Dan Smith (Secretary General of International Alert) reflects on the international response to chemical weapons use in Syria. And why it is very difficult for weapons inspectors to ‘prove a negative’. On September 13th,… Continue reading
Dan Smith (Secretary General of International Alert) tells of how he first got involved in peace activisim and research. In the face of the often sombre peacebuilding record of the past decades, Mr Smith maintains… Continue reading
How is Lebanon affected by the Syrian war? And what can International Alert do to try and limit the spillover effects? Dan Smith (Secretary General of International Alert) explains. On September 13th, Dan Smith… Continue reading
Would it be smart to issue a limited strike against the Assad regime in Syria in order to deter future chemical weapons use? Dan Smith (Secretary General of International Alert) shares his position.… Continue reading
Has the international community prioritized peace and stability over justice in Afghanistan? Despite massive international efforts, both peace and justice have remained elusive for large parts of the Afghan population. Irene Khan argues that the… Continue reading
What can Western governments do to promote peace in Syria? Should the EU send arms to Syrian rebels? And if so, to which ones? Mary Kaldor (Professor of Global Governance at the London… Continue reading
Should the EU send weapons to the Syrian opposition? Arjan Hehenkamp (general director of Médecines Sans Frontières NL) explains how arms shipments could have disastrous consequences for the work of doctors in the civil war.… Continue reading
The record of UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding knows some devastating failures (Somalia, Srebrenica, Rwanda). In 2005, UNSG Kofi Annan acknowledged in ‘In Larger Freedom‘ that “roughly half of all countries that emerge from… Continue reading
New donors from for example the Gulf States provide a lot of aid to Syria, Somalia and other countries affected by conflict. Arjan Hehenkamp (general director of Médecines Sans Frontières NL) explains how… Continue reading
What have been the failures of Rule of Law-promotion in Afghanistan? Irene Khan describes how her organization tries to learn from past failures. Ms Khan is currently the Director-General of the International Development Law Organization. Before… Continue reading
What exactly is the difference between ‘New’ and ‘Old’ wars? Mary Kaldor (Professor of Global Governance at the London School of Economics) explains the main thesis of her book ‘New and Old Wars: Organized Violence in… Continue reading
