The Dynamics of Territorial Control and Wartime Aid

• In Event: New Research on Territorial Control and Violence

Abstract

What factors influence the effectiveness of developmental aid in enhancing the durability and quality of peace in war-torn communities? This paper adds to the body of research on foreign aid practices and counterinsurgency strategies by providing new insights and data to evaluate whether territorial control is a precondition for wartime aid to stabilize regions or if, alternatively, aid can serve as a mechanism to consolidate control in still contested areas. This study also tests the widely-held assumption that wartime aid can bolster intelligence sharing by local populations to the counterinsurgent and impeding such exchanges with insurgents. It accomplishes this by not only investigating variation in the frequency of violence but the changing nature and quality of violence perpetrated by belligerents. These findings contribute to our understanding of resource allocation in conflict zones and strategic sequencing of priorities. By deepening our understanding of the underlying factors that contribute to diverse outcomes in aid initiatives, this research helps distinguish between successful and unsuccessful counterinsurgency practices and contributes to conflict management and peacebuilding discourse.

Author

• Timothy Jones, Naval Postgraduate School