Peace Construction and War on Terror: conflict of interests?

Abstract

The Global War on Terror (GWOT) has been one of the most important topics within International Relations in recent years. To date, it has had an overwhelmingly negative impact on international security. In order to address its current weaknesses, some US policymakers are beginning to incorporate Peacebuilding initiatives and other alternatives to the GWOT. In part, this is a reaction to the failures that have plagued the war, as well as an indication that there does exist an understanding of the need for long-term, sustainable solutions. However, the combination of these distinct tactics, the GWOT and Peacebuilding, is a dangerous maneuver as it may threaten the legitimacy and effectiveness of the latter. True international security requires an approach that is not tainted by the GWOT, and one that incorporates Peacebuilding along with other similar initiatives on a much greater scale. The case of Afghanistan and the establishment of AFRICOM in relation to the Sahel region both illustrate the potential problems likely to arise if the international community fails to separate the two activities.