Recent Publications

The Causes of Instability in Nigeria and Implications for the United States
August 19, 2013 — Author: LTC Clarence J Bouchat (USAF, Ret) View the Executive SummaryAn understanding the political economy of Nigeria is needed to reveal the root causes of its many ethnic, religious, economic, and political problems and to address them for the long term. The pressures now weighing on Nigeria could literally fracture the state along deep fault... MORE

The Challenge of Drug Trafficking to Democratic Governance and Human Security in West Africa
May 17, 2013 — Author: Mr David E Brown View the Executive SummaryInternational criminal networks mainly from Latin America and Africa—some with links to terrorism—are turning West Africa into a key global hub for the distribution, wholesaling, and production of illicit drugs. These groups represent an existential threat to democratic governance of already... MORE

Conflict and Conflict Resolution in the Sahel: The Tuareg Insurgency in Mali
May 1, 1998 — Author: LTC Kalifa Keita June 27, 1990, is a significant date in the recent history of Mali. It marks the beginning of what Malians call "The Second Tuareg Rebellion." The first had been staged against the post-colonial Malian government in 1963. The national government had suppressed that rebellion with harsh coercive measures, and the Tuaregs... MORE