July/August 2011
Many people now agree that the U.S. should focus on preventing, not fighting, wars. Yet this agreement has not yet let to substantive policy change, and critical tools for preventing war are now facing drastic cuts in Congress. These tools not only help promote peace around the world but also save lives and treasure by preventing the U.S. from becoming embroiled in violent conflicts. This issue of the newsletter discusses FCNL’s efforts to shift U.S. policy and resources towards peacefully preventing deadly conflict, the successes so far, and the challenges that lay ahead.
Read the entire newsletter as a PDF here.
Article Index
The concept that the U.S. should shape its foreign policy and invest resources in preventing, not fighting, wars is now increasingly accepted in Washington and beyond. But this welcome political discourse has not yet been matched by substantive policy change. And the 112th Congress has brought new challenges.
U.S. policymakers all too often return to the promise of helping to prevent mass atrocities and genocide only after innocent lives are lost. FCNL is leading a growing coalition of groups lobbying for the passage of legislation to pass binding legislation to change this.
The deteriorating situation in Libya illustrates the urgent need to strengthen civilian capacities and transform U.S. foreign policy to help avert crises through nonviolent means.
Programs that attempt to avert deadly conflict before it starts are in danger of being de-funded. Help FCNL protect vital peace building initiatives such as the United States' continuing support of the United Nations, the Civilian Response Corps, and the Complex Crises Fund.
The realities of climate change are fueling conflicts over natural resources that need to be addressed with concrete solutions.
When violence broke out in Kenya in 2007, some believed it would escalate into a full fledged civil war. However with the help of the diplomatic and policy tools that FCNL has advocated for, Kenyans have created a fragile but continuing peace.
