The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week to cut nearly all funding to the “United States Institute of Peace “:http://www.usip.org(USIP). USIP was established in 1985 by President Ronald Reagan. Among others, it sponsors a great deal of policy relevant academic research on issues of international peace and security. There are not many alternative funding sources available for the type of research they fund (disclosure: I have never received USIP funding but I have served on USIP funding panels). USIP has also been active in “mediation and peacebuilding initiatives”:http://www.mediate.com/pdf/Success%20Stories%2012.28.2010.pdf and in educating defense department officials on peacebuilding strategies.
If you were so inclined, “various”:http://www.facebook.com/SaveUSIP?sk=info organizations urge people to “contact their senators”:http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm or sign “petitions”:http://www.change.org/petitions/save-the-united-states-institute-of-peace-house-voted-to-cut-all-funding#signatures (“a Facebook version”:http://www.change.org/petitions/save-the-united-states-institute-of-peace-house-voted-to-cut-all-funding#signatures).