Terra-Precarious: From Peace Growing to Lasting Stability

Abstract

Abstract : This paper asks the question: What can the US do to foster lasting stability in places like Terra- precarious? Terra-precarious' is a generic reference to a territory that is chronically afflicted with violent group conflict or humanitarian crises, due to destabilizing political, social or economic conditions. Recent decades saw numerous small conflicts and humanitarian crises. The international community responded with financial assistance, aid programs, value promotion programs, and peace operations. These responses generally failed to remedy root causes of conflict and crises. Consequently, conflict and crises persist and recur. The proposal in this paper is to grow peace, to embrace a Peace Growing program in US National Security Strategy. Peace growing cultivates economic, social and political conditions that foster lasting stability. It does this by means of commercial diplomacy, which is the conduct of commercial activities, on behalf of a government, to achieve diplomatic ends. Peace Growing focuses on economic and civic health in municipalities, inciting values, and peaceful conflict resolution norms while engaged in securing a municipality's economic prosperity.