Thanks to Nick for pointing out this article, “First Lehman Brothers, Next Liberia?” by Donald Steinberg of the International Crisis Group. Steinberg argues that countries like Liberia risk a fall back to conflict if peacekeeping support and aid decrease due to global economic problems.
Steinberg offers a good overview of how the economic crisis could impact post-conflict countries, but I disagree with his assumption that maintaining current aid levels and increasing funding to disarmament and reintegration programs will promote security in Liberia in a sustainable way.
Thanks for this link to an interesting article. It does lack a thorough analysis of how to stabilize post conflict states and ensure moving forward toward rule of law, as opposed to back into war. Clearly desperate poverty would be a problem, but as you said, to be sustainable it takes more than charity.
Could you expand a bit on what you think is integral to promoting security in Liberia in a sustainable way? Or perhaps you have a link to an entry or article where these ideas have been expounded on?
I look forward to reading more! Thanks for blogging.