Since the attacks of 9/11, the United States has spent more than $250 billion building up military and police forces around the world. From attempts to build whole armies in Iraq and Afghanistan to efforts to help Yemen or Nigeria fight terrorism, the impact of these efforts has been mixed and in some cases counterproductive, exacerbating local corruption, human rights abuses, and even terrorism.
A knot of U.S. offices and agencies have evolved to provide this aid, mostly pulling in different directions.
Untangling the Web: A Blueprint for Reforming American Security Sector Assistance describes the main failures in the system and sets out immediate steps the next administration can take to improve how the U.S. government plans, coordinates, and executes its security-related assistance. This would significantly increase transparency and accountability and link the aid more closely to the human rights, development, and governance outcomes that are essential to U.S. foreign policy interests and national security.
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National Security and Human Rights
Rebuilding and Resilience: 20 Years Since 9/11
![A woman who lost a relative in the 9/11 attacks pauses at the National September 11 Memorial during a commemoration ceremony on September 11, 2019, in New York City. Photo credit: © Spencer Platt/Getty A woman standing at the September 11 memorial](https://opensocietyfoundations.imgix.net/uploads/e7f1a3d1-3e63-4c9b-af96-6694b146040a/20210910-platt-september-11-memorial-3000.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=200&q=80&rect=0%2C125%2C3000%2C1875)
On the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Open Society shares reflections from partners on the road traveled since—and the hard work still ahead.
19 Shameful Years
Torture’s Terrible Toll
![Protesters hold banners in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., on January 11, 2016. Photo credit: © Erkan Avci/Anadolu/Getty A large banner in front of the White House that says “Shut Down Guantanamo”](https://opensocietyfoundations.imgix.net/uploads/a0fd556c-d855-43b0-98cc-65a3d74a9b1a/20200111-avci-washington-dc-guatanamo-3000.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=200&q=80&rect=0%2C125%2C3000%2C1875)
The horror stories emanating from Guantanamo Bay shock the conscience. It is long past time to close the prison.
Standing Up to Big Brother
Q&A: A Big Step for Global Privacy Rights
![The chair of the Society for Freedom Rights (right) and the managing director of Reporters Without Borders (left) stand with a symbolic octopus that is meant to represent one of Germany’s intelligence agencies, at the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe, Germany, on January 14, 2020. Photo credit: © Ronald Wittek/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Two people stand with a grey octopus cutout balancing mobile phones](https://opensocietyfoundations.imgix.net/uploads/58b4b73a-93e3-49ae-a0e6-c8faca2e7134/20200716-wittek-germany-bnd-surveillance-3000.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=200&q=80&rect=0%2C63%2C3000%2C1875)
By ruling against a government intelligence agency, one of the most powerful courts in Germany has struck a blow for data privacy and free expression.