Background

In August 2004, the U.S. State Department announced the creation of a new office dedicated to reconstruction and stabilization programs in failing, failed, and post-conflict states.  This office, called the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, is a response to the United States' experiences with so-called "failed states" in the decade following the end of the Cold War.  During that time, many developing countries dissolved into chaos and anarchy as the result of internal ethnic, religious and social conflicts.  For example, during the 1990's bitter conflicts occurred in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, and the Balkans.  More recently, conflicts have erupted in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Darfur region of Sudan.  In each case, the response from the international community came too late to avert the conflict or a massive humanitarian disaster.  In many cases, the countries are still suffering from the after-effects of the conflicts.

The phenomenon of failed states has implications for U.S. security.  As the State Department recognizes:

Failed and failing states provide breeding grounds for terrorism, crime, trafficking, humanitarian catastrophes, and other threats to U.S. interests.

Consequently, in addition to the moral imperative to prevent the massive loss of human life that accompanies such conflicts, U.S. security and the war on terrorism could be strengthened by more robust stabilization efforts in potentially failing states.

Mission

The ad hoc responses that characterized US stabilization efforts in the post-Cold War period have proven inadequate.  In most cases, the U.S. and the international community did not become actively involved until after a crisis had reached the point where it could no longer be ignored.  This is evident from U.S. and international responses to the wars in the Balkans and Rwanda.  In each case, the international community did not intervene in a meaningful way until after a major humanitarian disaster and the collapse of effective government.  The result was the unnecessary loss of life, damage to infrastructure, and higher eventual costs for reconstruction and stabilization.

The State Department has recognized these failures and has created the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS) to help prevent similar failures in the future.  It has also acknowledged a need to cooperate with the rest of the international community in preventing failed states:

The USG [U.S. Government] must work with the world community to anticipate state failure, avert it when possible, and help post-conflict states lay a foundation for lasting peace, good governance and sustainable development.

The mission of the S/CRS will be to "lead and coordinate U.S. Government planning, and institutionalize U.S. capacity, to help stabilize and reconstruct societies in transition from conflict or civil strife so they can reach a sustainable path toward peace, democracy and a market economy."

Objectives

The S/CRS has five primary objectives.  The Office will:

1. monitor "regions of greatest risk" and lead U.S. government planning related to these regions;

2. coordinate the U.S. efforts to avert and respond to emerging crises;

3. develop a "surge capability" to allow it to mount an immediate response to a developing crisis;

4. develop best practices that will improve U.S. responses to failed and failing states; and

5. work with other government, international organizations and NGOs to "increase [their] interoperability" during multilateral operations.

Composition

The S/CRS is headed by Ambassador Carlos Pascual, who has served in many senior roles at the State Department and was ambassador to Ukraine from 2000 to 2003.  According to the State Department, "it is staffed by representatives from agencies throughout the U.S. Government.  It builds upon and draws on existing skills and expertise and will work closely with the Defense Department to ensure strong civil-military cooperation in planning and operations."  Reports indicate that the Office has about 35 staff members at the moment.

Authorization and Funding

The Office received authorization, though no funding, in the 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law No. 108-447 sec. 408, which was signed into law on December 8, 2004).  Read the text of Section 408 of the Appropriations Act.  The authorizing language is broad enough to support all of the objectives the S/CRS has laid out for itself.  However, the lack of funding raises questions about whether the Office will be able to carry out its objectives.  In particular, it is not clear whether the S/CRS will be able to develop a "surge capability" without dedicated funding.  Citizens for Global Solutions hopes that the Office will receive dedicated funding during the next rounds of appropriations.

The Future

While the creation of the S/CRS is definitely a step in the right direction, it is too early to know whether it will fulfill its promise.  Part of the problem is that averting the bitter conflicts that lead to failed states is more than just a problem of identifying failed states early enough to intervene.  In many cases, the United States and the international community has failed to intervene even after it became clear that a humanitarian disaster was about to occur.

For example, the international community was slow to intervene in the Balkans or Rwanda even after it became clear that both conflicts were resulting in genocide.  This was a failure of political will, not knowledge.  Even if the S/CRS fulfills its mandate and provides the US with the knowledge and planning capability necessary for early intervention in a country to prevent another failed state, the US still may not intervene.  Historically, there has been insufficient political will to provide money and military force for conflicts that often occur in far away places with only a tenuous connection to traditional US strategic interests.  It is possible that the war on terrorism may change this calculus, if the US government believes that preventing failed states is a key part of the war on terror.

+ READ MORE ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE OFFICE

+ THE STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF THE COORDINATOR FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND STABILIZATION

Last Updated December 16, 2004