Bonnie Glaser of the Center for Strategic and International Studies discusses the significant risk of conflict in the South China Sea and how the United States can prevent becoming involved in an armed clash.
See more in East Asia, Southeast Asia, Conflict Prevention
The author assesses the causes and consequences of the violence faced by several Central American countries and examines the national, regional, and international efforts intended to curb its worst effects.
See more in Central America, Society and Culture, Drugs
Micah Zenko says it's time for the United States to think of new ways to combat terrorism in Southwest Asia.
See more in Afghanistan, Defense/Homeland Security, Wars and Warfare
Micah Zenko discusses whether Israel should accept a nuclear ban.
See more in Israel, Proliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament, Weapons of Mass Destruction
Micah Zenko explains the creation, use, and future of drones.
See more in United States, Defense/Homeland Security, Defense Technology
Unlike its Arctic neighbors, the United States is failing to take full advantage of the tremendous economic potential of the Arctic region. Captain Melissa Bert argues for U.S. ratification of the Law of the Sea Convention; international polar shipping standards; and an aircraft, icebreaker, and shore-based infrastructure acquisition program funded by Arctic oil and gas lease proceeds.
Micah Zenko and Emma Welch argue that while the Republican presidential candidates overwhelmingly describe the prospect of an Iranian nuclear weapons capability as "unacceptable" and endorse the use of military force if that were necessary to prevent an Iranian bomb, there is a complete absence of any details on how the use of force could accomplish this ambitious objective.
See more in Iran, Proliferation, Weapons of Mass Destruction, U.S. Strategy and Politics, U.S. Election 2012
Micah Zenko says requests for humanitarian intervention by foreign governments and peoples happen all the time, and he examines why some requests are granted while others are ignored.
See more in Libya, Syria, UN, International Peace and Security, Humanitarian Intervention
Paul B. Stares argues that in the wake of Kim Jong-il's death, rather than wait for signs out of Pyongyang, the United States should now signal its interest in developing a more productive relationship with North Korea.
See more in North Korea, International Peace and Security, Proliferation
Micah Zenko argues that Iran's recent downing of a Sentinel drone is neither surprising nor particularly revealing.
See more in United States, Iran, Intelligence
Michah Zenko discusses preventive priorities the United States will face in 2012.
See more in United States, International Peace and Security, Conflict Assessment, Conflict Prevention
The Preventive Priorities Survey (PPS) is intended to help inform the U.S. policy community about the relative urgency and importance of competing conflict prevention demands. The Center for Preventive Action asked a targeted group of government o cials, academics, and experts to comment confidentially on a list of contingencies that could plausibly occur in 2012.
See more in United States, Conflict Prevention
Gause posits that, though the Arab Awakening has caused tensions in Saudi-American relations, the two countries do not face a crisis and still have significant mutual interests that should be prioritized.
See more in Saudi Arabia, U.S. Strategy and Politics
As countries around the world increasingly rely on space, orbital space debris poses a rapidly growing threat to civil, military, and commercial satellites. Micah Zenko argues for an international code to define interstate behavior and promote sustainable conduct in outer space.
See more in Space
Micah Zenko analyzes the unexpected invasion by Kenyan forces into Somalia to defeat the militant group, al-Shabaab.
See more in Kenya, Somalia, Terrorism, Terrorist Organizations
In this Center for Preventive Action Policy Innovation Memorandum, Elliott Abrams argues that the United States should work to bring down Bashar al-Assad by isolating his regime from Syria's Alawite and business communities.
See more in Syria, U.S. Strategy and Politics
Micah Zenko argues that the ouster of Muammar al-Qaddafi will motivate other dictators to seek out nuclear weapons.
See more in Libya, UN, International Peace and Security, Weapons of Mass Destruction
In this Center for Preventive Action Working Paper, Payton L. Knopf argues that the State Department must develop a framework for engaging with nonstate armed groups. He also calls on the department to make bureaucratic and operational reforms to execute this increasingly important mission.
See more in Diplomacy
Micah Zenko argues that overreaching Western eagerness to help Libya's rebels will now make it more difficult to line up meaningful outside support for Syria's opposition.
See more in Libya, Syria, NATO, International Peace and Security
Yemen is experiencing serious political turmoil after more than three decades of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's autocratic rule. To help stabilize Yemen, Gregory Johnsen argues that the United States must broaden its policy toward the country beyond counterterrorism efforts.
See more in Yemen, U.S. Strategy and Politics
For more conflict prevention analysis, visit CFR's Center for Preventive Action.
Enhancing U.S. Preventive Action
In this CSR, coauthored by Paul B. Stares and Micah Zenko sponsored by the Center for Preventive Action, evaluates the U.S. system for foreseeing and heading off crises and assesses in detail current U.S. practices with regard to different types of preventive action. More
Somalia: A New Approach
This report, authored by Bronwyn E. Bruton and sponsored by the Center for Preventive Action, argues that the current U.S. policy of supporting the TFG is unlikely to succeed and ineffective foreign meddling threatens to prolong and worsen the conflict. Instead, the United States should pursue a strategy of "constructive disengagement" while still maintaining support for localized development initiatives and humanitarian assistance. More
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