Fund for Peace Urges Army Secretary to Save Peacekeeping Office

Fund for Peace
Tuesday, 12 March 2002

In a letter to the Secretary of the Army, Thomas White, The Fund for Peace urged him to keep the Army's Peacekeeping Institute operational. Thomas White's decision on the future of PKI is expected tomorrow.

"The Army, alone among the services, has an institution devoted peacekeeping. Rather than closing the PKI down, we should be appropriating more money for expanded activities. Thus far, an institute with only a $200,000 budget has enhanced our effectiveness in combating terrorism and helped address the problem of internal wars," said Pauline H. Baker, The Fund for Peace President. "They need to do more, especially now."

The PKI's work on peacekeeping and other related missions has helped to build a common framework of analysis and operational cooperation among the services, between civil society and the military, and among other governments and international organizations. It also contributes to the formulation of strategies and to the preparedness of the U.S. military on peace enforcement missions.

Representatives James Leach and Lynn Woolsey launched a similar appeal in a letter to Secretary White urging him to retain this vital organization.

"Closing down PKI, at the same time that the Bush Administration's budget would allocate less funding for U.N. peacekeeping sends the wrong message," noted Baker. She added that "These steps will signal to our allies and partners that we are pulling out of our peacekeeping responsibilities. This is illogical when we are working to achieve a peaceful transition in Afghanistan."

For more information, or to contact Fund for Peace, see their website at: www.fundforpeace.org