Good News from the Islamic World Posted by Heather Hurlburt

Just as the Bush Administration decides to throw in the towel on post-conflict nation-building, there’s some good news from the slow-mo, frustrating, not-with-a-blunt-instrument side of the house where conflicts sometimes actually get resolved and nations get built.

It was easy to miss – one graf in the New York Times announcing the signing of a peace agreement in Aceh, the rebellious province of Indonesia where fighting since 1976 has claimed 9,000 lives and raised concerns about Islamic fundamentalism.  (To be fair, more coverage in the Washington Times and quite a bit more coverage in the Washington Post.  What’s the Grey Lady’s problem?)

"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">A previous agreement, signed in 2002, fell apart in five months.  But while my former employers the International Crisis Group caution that the road ahead will be difficult, their peerless Indonesia expert Sidney Jones writes that “’can-do’ excitement is in the air, however, as though the impossible may just be achievable.”

There's also some decent coverage on the BBC, but I'm going to plug ICG's report again, because the detail are fascinating.  Anyone thinking about how conflict resolution and peacemaking actually happen in the post-Iraq era ought to give it a look.

Why did this happen now?  Three reasons, says ICG:  Indonesia’s newly-elected vice president wanted to make a deal and reached out; Indonesia’s military offensive of the previous year had weakened GAM rebels on the ground; and the tsunami, which hit Aceh harder than any other region, had given everyone the opportunity to look for a fresh start.

A peace in Aceh has huge potential significance for the prospects of settling the archipelago’s other simmering conflicts and ultimately for the future of stability, democracy and moderate Islam in the world’s largest Muslim nation. 

After the peace was mediated not by the UN, US or ASEAN, but by former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari (who helped pull the Kosovo peace out of a hat in June 1999), monitoring will be provided by a coalition of the EU and five southeast Asian nations.    ICG has some good specific points on what else is needed from the donor community.

It’s great to see the EU in the lead on the security side here; this is why common EU security institutions are good for US interests.  Now let’s see the US step up (and follow through) on the donor side to help a Muslim nation out.  And, press and punditocracy, let’s highlight what just might be a major Islamic peace success in the making.  (Remember, Indonesia is the world's one Islamic country where views of the US are improving.  Why?  Aid after the tsunami.)

Comments

[jp]

awesome site guys.
jp
http://americansforfreedom.blogspot.com

[John Penta]

Heather: Was it the President or Vice-President of Indonesia?

[tihopilik]

Hello

I can't be bothered with anything these days, but shrug. I just don't have anything to say recently.


G'night

[goonzu gold]

I once have a lot of goonzu money in the game and i will go to buy goonzu gold to add my stock. I like the game very much and i like to earn the goonzu online gold with my friends together. I want to join the cheap goonzu gold and i can get a lot of equipment to arm myself. I like the game very much come on to join us!

[eve isk]

I hope i can get eve online isk in low price.

[Atlantica Gold]

If you have Atlantica online Gold, you can get more. If you gave Atlantica Gold to me, I still have my idea to achieve.

[buy eve online isk]

I hope i can get eve isk in low price,
Yesterday i want to buy eve online isk for my friend.

[buy flyff penya]

I appriciate him. I prefer the
flyff gold in the game. In fact, the
buy flyff penya is expensive.

[priston tale Gold]

Do you like playing the game where you need to use priston tale Gold, when you do not have priston tale Money,

[yargıc]

Thank you for your sharing.! seslichat seslisohbet

[cheap coach handbags]

Thank you for your sharing! I like i very much!

[chat]

thanks for sharing Sohbet many people are pay more attention to one's wearing than before, especially a watch. Chat .
Perhaps when you went to some place far away Chat you must borrow it from friends Sohbet you can get everything you want in this game
Chat money to invest in other industry which will return you good profit. Sohbet when you look at the surface of the watches
Egitim from the city you live in and thought you knew nobody there exsohbet

[pandora jewellry]

I never comment on blogs, but this one is awesome! Thanks.

[coach factory outlet]

The Air Jordan Shoes is one of the most popular brands all around in the market. Air Jordan 2011 utilizing the importance of green technolog,introduced to the market, it has always received good jordan shoes sale reception from the fans. Cheap gucci Shoes may be exposed to some of the ground rubber materials are used, gucci bags online have a good grip effects, and coach factory outlet the corner location at varying degrees of thickening, making it coach purses online more wear-resistant. The famous gucci shoes sale is a famous manufacturer of shoes which many people prefer as sports gear or the accessories.

[Nike Blazer (black/white/red)]

I think you have created some charm points. In fact there is not much of lipase think about the direction you just do.

[cheap dunk]

Action is the foundational key to all success.Wholesale Newport Cigarettes

[bob gibson jersey blue]

Some people with my work frequently visit your blog, and suggested that I read too.

[keith hernandez jersey sale]

In general, I do not read blog posts, but I want to say, this forced meto write to try and do it very!

[complex 41]

complex 41 kullanıcı yorumlarıorjin krem

[complex 41]

complex 41 kullanıcı yorumlarıorjin krem

[lace wigs]

lace wig

lace wigs

full lace wigs

full lace wig

lace front wigs

front lace wigs

hair extensions

best full lace wigs

premium lace wigs

cheap full lace wigs

cheap lace wig

lace wigs for cheap

cheap human hair lace front wigs

lace front wigs human hair

cheap lace front wigs

affordable lace wigs

celebrity wigs

celebrity lace wigs

remy lace front wig

lace front wigs for women

lace wigs for black women

full lace wigs for black women

human hair lace front wigs

human hair lace wigs

black hair wigs

full lace human hair wigs

remy lace front wig

lace front wigs for women

lace wigs with baby hair

curly lace wigs

wavy lace wigs

glueless lace wigs

luxury lace wigs

short lace wigs

lace wigs for sale

full lace wigs on sale

[Instrument]

It is I rarely find in the Internet as entertainment and you have something interestinghere.