Center for International Policy
Activists Bill Goodfellow and retired foreign service official Donald Ranard established the Center for International Policy in 1975. They operated under the fiscal sponsorship of the Fund for Peace during these initial years. The organization emerged as a direct response to the Vietnam War that had divided American society. Ranard served as the center's first executive director while guiding its early strategic direction. During its first years, the group focused heavily on Asia. Their work examined United States foreign policy towards South Korea specifically. They investigated relationships with the Park Chung Hee-led government at that time. In 1976, Ranard testified before Congress regarding human rights violations in South Korea. He also exposed the role of South Korean lobbyists operating within Washington. US Representatives Donald Fraser and Tom Harkin introduced legislation in the mid-1970s. This bill incorporated foreign countries' human rights records into security and economic aid decisions. The center later established an Indochina Program in 1978. This program advocated normalizing diplomatic relations with Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. It remained active until it closed eleven years later in 1989.
The organization campaigned in support of the Contadora Group during the 1980s. They backed the subsequent Esquipulas Peace Agreement throughout that decade. After South Africa received a loan from the International Monetary Fund in 1983, the center began a new campaign. This effort pushed for provisions prohibiting the US representative to the IMF from supporting loans to apartheid states. The Center continued research into labor practices and economic impacts of apartheid in South Africa. A joint program with the Costa Rica-based Arias Foundation was established in 1990. Óscar Arias founded this foundation and served as its namesake. Robert White became president of the organization and worked extensively with Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He collaborated with Aristide during his exile in Washington throughout the 1990s. Wayne Smith joined the Center in 1991 to establish its Cuba program. His work focused on normalizing relations between the United States and Cuba. Adam Isacson established the Latin American Security program in the mid-1990s. This program still operates today under CIP's umbrella. It campaigned against the militarisation of Plan Colombia specifically. The group supported moving funds to programs for judicial reforms and economic development instead. In June 1999, the program led the first congressional delegation to meet insurgent leaders inside their controlled territory.
Clarissa Segun and Paul Olweny joined the Center in 2000 as leaders for the Demilitarization for Democracy project. They campaigned for diplomatic aid and United Nations peacekeeping operations globally. That specific project eventually closed in 2006 after several years of operation. Sarah Stephens worked on Cuba policy while joining the Center in 2001. She launched the Freedom to Travel project that same year. Stephens left CIP in 2006 before launching the Center for Democracy in the Americas. Robert White established a program focused on governmental corruption in Central America in 2003. This initiative targeted illegal logging activities within Honduras specifically. Selig Harrison joined CIP in the same year as head of the Asia program. He directed focus toward North Korea and the Indian subcontinent regions. Raymond Baker published his book Capitalism's Achilles Heel: Dirty Money and How to Renew the Free-Market System in 2005. He founded Global Financial Integrity shortly after publishing this work. The new organization focuses on illicit financial flows as a research and advocacy entity. The Americas Program joined CIP in June 2007 following the dissolution of the International Relations Center. It continues today as both the TransBorder Project and the Americas Project.
Donald Ranard served as the center's first executive director from its founding in 1975. US Representatives Donald Fraser and Tom Harkin acted as co-chairs of the center's Board during the mid-1970s. Óscar Arias Sánchez, former president of Costa Rica, serves as a senior fellow with CIP. UN ambassador Dessima Williams also holds a position on the board. Michael Barnes and Matthew Hoh serve as additional senior fellows supporting the mission. Robert White became president of the organization and worked extensively with Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Wayne Smith established the Cuba program when he joined in 1991. Adam Isacson created the Latin American Security program in the mid-1990s. Clarissa Segun and Paul Olweny led the Demilitarization for Democracy project until it closed in 2006. Sarah Stephens launched the Freedom to Travel project before departing in 2006. Selig Harrison headed the Asia program starting in 2003. Raymond Baker founded Global Financial Integrity after publishing his book in 2005. Christina Arabia currently leads the Security Assistance Monitor division. William D. Hartung directs the Arms & Security Project today. Ben Freeman heads the Foreign Influence Transparency Initiative.
The center currently operates nine programs including the Arms & Security Project and Security Assistance Monitor. It fiscally sponsors the environmental protection organization Mighty Earth alongside Freedom Forward. The Security Assistance Monitor tracks U.S. security and defense assistance programs worldwide under director Christina Arabia. Their database compiles all publicly available data from 2000 to the present. Users can search these numbers by country, region, program and assistance type. The Arms and Security Project engages media outreach aimed at promoting reforms in nuclear weapons policy. Program director William D. Hartung states that military force is largely irrelevant to addressing greatest dangers like terrorism or climate change. The Foreign Influence Transparency Initiative believes transparency highlights impact of foreign influence on American democracy. Directed by Ben Freeman, this program works to devise policy solutions for agent registration incentives. FITI is heavily critical of the Pentagon budget and Saudi Arabian lobby in Washington. CIP launched the Sustainable Defense Task Force in November 2018 as a bipartisan group of experts. This task force published a report in June 2019 stating the Pentagon could save $1.2 trillion over the next decade. That report was featured in The Hill, the Washington Post, and Defense News among other outlets.
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Common questions
Who founded the Center for International Policy and when was it established?
Activists Bill Goodfellow and retired foreign service official Donald Ranard established the Center for International Policy in 1975. They operated under the fiscal sponsorship of the Fund for Peace during these initial years.
What specific region did the Center for International Policy focus on during its first years?
During its first years, the group focused heavily on Asia with work examining United States foreign policy towards South Korea specifically. They investigated relationships with the Park Chung Hee-led government at that time.
When did the Indochina Program close after advocating for diplomatic relations with Vietnam Laos and Cambodia?
The Center later established an Indochina Program in 1978 which remained active until it closed eleven years later in 1989. This program advocated normalizing diplomatic relations with Vietnam Laos and Cambodia throughout its existence.
Which organization did the Center for International Policy campaign to support during the 1980s regarding apartheid in South Africa?
The organization campaigned in support of the Contadora Group during the 1980s while backing the subsequent Esquipulas Peace Agreement throughout that decade. After South Africa received a loan from the International Monetary Fund in 1983 the center began a new effort pushing for provisions prohibiting the US representative to the IMF from supporting loans to apartheid states.
Who currently leads the Security Assistance Monitor division within the Center for International Policy?
Christina Arabia currently leads the Security Assistance Monitor division which tracks U.S. security and defense assistance programs worldwide under her direction. Their database compiles all publicly available data from 2000 to the present for users searching by country region program and assistance type.