WASHINGTON, March 21 (UPI) -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Association of the U.S. Army have convened a bipartisan commission -- including four Senators, three members of the House, former military leaders, and distinguished foreign policy experts -- to develop policy recommendations for assisting societies that are emerging from violent conflict.
Chaired by CSIS President and CEO John Hamre and AUSA President Gen. Gordon Sullivan (ret.), The Commission on Post-Conflict Reconstruction met for the first time on Wednesday. The 26-member panel will develop specific proposals to enhance U.S. participation in international reconstruction efforts in war-torn countries such as Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Kosovo. Its recommendations will address gaps in the current capabilities of the U.S. government and the international community.
States that are unable to maintain their political and territorial integrity often become breeding grounds for dangerous non-state actors. As in Afghanistan, terrorists have exploited post-conflict vacuums in Africa, Asia, and the Balkans. The weakest states in the international system are often unable to control powerful groups that seek to harm the national interests of the United States or other nations.
Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), a member of the bipartisan commission, said that developing the capabilities to help societies emerging from violent conflict "is not an act of charity, it's an investment in our own security."
The Commission will examine many areas including the division of labor between civilian agencies and the U.S. military, interagency planning and coordination, and U.S. government funding mechanisms for post-conflict assistance.
Aside from security, the Commission will also explore broader issues in post-conflict reconstruction, such as justice and reconciliation, social and economic well-being, and governance and participation.
Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), a member of the commission, said that in order to defeat terrorism, the United States must stay active and involved in these states after its military role is completed, because the war on terrorism also has economic, cultural, and educational dimensions.
The Commission will meet throughout the year and release a final report in Fall 2002.
