Peace

Cause Overview

The main challenges for international peace are:

• preventing of further proliferation of nuclear weapons;
• combating mass terrorism while addressing its root causes;
• addressing population growth and the increased demand for dwindling natural energy resources;
• managing the rise of future superpowers and helping them make a peaceful transition into the international community;
• dealing with the increasingly globalized problems e.g. pandemics, which ignore borders, by matching them with increased international co-operation.

In order to do this, the United States -- as the world's superpower -- must adapt its role within the international community. The past fifteen years have made it clear that one superpower is much harder to swallow than two. Because a dominating power engenders fear, resentment and resistance, the United States today has a greater than normal need to hear and understand the interests of others and to take these into account in pursuing its own security or seeking to exercise global leadership. The overarching goals of those involved in working for international peace therefore should be:

• To develop improved understanding in the United States of thinking in other countries. Equally, to develop deeper understanding abroad of U.S. thinking.
• To model and demonstrate the approach we believe the United States should be taking in its international relations.
• To provide a model of how to do first-rate, independent policy research, and demonstrate how such institutions can contribute to the strengthening of their governments and societies.

Source: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace