Security Assistance

For too long, America’s security cooperation has prioritized short-term, tactical goals over longer-term diplomatic and human rights aims.

With Egypt, President Joe Biden has inherited a worrying human rights situation in a country that’s strategically important to the United States and its allies.

Too often, the United States ends up feeding well-intentioned assistance and training into an impervious, corrupt system that eats the aid and spits out further instability.

As we near the 100-day mark of this administration, and with the president delivering a “State of the Union”-like address this evening, now is a good moment to assess its arms…

The conflict's deep roots illustrate a case where the US should begin to reject two decades of conflict escalation that began with the Global War on Terror.

The Biden administration needs to ensure that solutions it offers for the continent's challenges are Africa-led, inclusive, multilateral, and multifaceted.

To be a credible proponent of peace, the US must shed destabilizing security ties and unneeded military capabilities, and invest in conflict prevention.

The government has failed in its international obligations to investigate and prosecute crimes, and has promoted alleged war criminals to high levels.

The goal should be to establish diplomacy and aid as co-equal tools, to make counterterrorism more comprehensive, sustainable and, eventually, less violent.

This week's Egypt arms sales announcement illustrates the failure to practice the values that offer the US its principle source of competitive advantage.

Regular and direct US criticism of Saudi and UAE human rights abuses should be a fundamental part of a Biden administration reassessment.

The push to protect women and girls in conflict and involve women in security decision-making increases attention to human rights in military operations.