Whistleblowers and protesters play a key role in ensuring accountability. But ultimately, democratic systems should be built to ensure institutional accountability.
The Dictator and the Nihilist
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accountability
Syria’s Bureaucracy of Death and the Fate of the Disappeared
The Syrian government has just confirmed the deaths of hundreds of detainees. Why?
The U.S. Gives Refuge to Torture Victims from All Over — Except from Guantanamo
The U.S. hasn’t agreed to resettle any of its own torture victims, much less offered any other form of accountability.
Another Extension for Our Longest War?
Military leaders want more troops to help prop up an unaccountable Afghan government — one that even Afghans aren’t interested in dying for.
America’s Hydra Problem in the Middle East
ISIS may be more famous for cutting off heads, but it’s Washington that’s learning the hard way not to slash first and ask questions later.
Latin America’s Lesson for the U.S.: Prosecute the Torturers
Latin America’s transition out of dictatorship hinged on two words the U.S. would be wise to heed: “Never again.”
Don’t Ask the Pentagon Where Its Money Goes
The Pentagon is long overdue for an audit of its $555 billion budget, but Congress has failed to hold it accountable.
Protecting Whistleblowers at the UN
The United Nations promotes the rule of law around the world, especially in its peacekeeping missions. But while the UN advocates for frameworks through which people, institutions, and nations are held accountable under laws that meet human rights standards, a new study has found that it needs to do more to uphold the rule of law effectively within the organization itself.
Accountability and Insurgency in Afghanistan
Although the war in Afghanistan—with its tally of U.S. combat deaths now exceeding 2,000—has largely faded from the news, it is useful to consider why the conflict is so intractable. Why has a campaign that initially seemed so hopeful resulted in a country that is politically fractured and increasingly deadly for Afghans and foreign militaries alike?