Security Sector Reform in Timor-Leste: Missed Opportunities and Hard Lessons in Empowering the Host-Nation

Abstract

The Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute publishes a quarterly journal to update the peace and stability operations community on the research of our analysts, recent and forthcoming publications and upcoming conferences sponsored by PKSOI. Each quarterly journal has a specific theme related to peace and stability operations and a commentary by the Director of PKSOI entitled The Director's Corner. If you are interested in receiving this journal, please subscribe on our homepage at http: iii FOREWORDAs the United States and its coalition partners continue with transitions to host-nation civil authorities in both Iraq and Afghanistan, authors Isaac Kfir, Nicholas Armstrong, and Jacqueline Chura-Beaver examine an important case study of the United Nation's transition efforts in Timor-Leste. Unlike Iraq and Afghanistan, Timor-Leste seemed to have favorable conditions for success; yet, after 13 years of UN efforts, Timorese security sector reform has remained elusive. This case study has great implications for our efforts to better understand how fragile, failing, and failed states better transition to resilient self-governance and responsible security partners.The authors explore the dichotomy for host-nation ownership with the role of foreign assistance in security sector reform. They conclude that this balance is a critical variable that will determine success or failure regardless of the starting condition. Their conclusion serves to highlight the importance of the present U.S. defense strategic guidance, with its emphasis on the promotion of security, prosperity, and human dignity through capacity building engagements.After a decade of stability operations experience, and faced with today's difficult fiscal choices, our Nation is at a critical decision point in determining its future military strategy. As we continue to institutionalize the hard-earned lessons of the past decade, this monograph highlights the value of deliberate and candid analysis into the complexities and uncertainties inherent in transitions to host-nation civil authority. It is easiest to hope the future will not require operations like Timor-Leste; however, present Afghanistan (2003Afghanistan ( -2004 and Bosnia (2001Bosnia ( -2002 and a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger, Airborne and Air Assault Schools. In his current capacity, Mr. Armstrong leads INSCT's program on Postconflict Reconstruction, which includes a graduate certificate program, collaborative research, and an ongoing guest speaker series. Among his research interests are U.S. national security and defense policy, security cooperation and assistance, complex peace and stability operations, defense sector management, and veterans policy. Mr. Armstrong holds degrees from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (BS) and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University (MPA). In addition to his full-time duties at INSCT, Armstrong is also a PhD Candidate (ABD) in Social Science (International Security Studies) at the Maxwell School. His disse...

Will Informal Institutions Replace Formal Institutions? The Primacy of Church and “Uma Lisan” in Fostering Community Security in Timor Leste

“…), ( 2010): The Future of Security Sector Reform, Canada: The Centre for International Governance Innovation. 25 Besenyő, János ( 2019 and a very striking difference between donor understanding and expectations with local people 34 . Although the UN has been criticized for its failure to establish a professional and effective East Timorese security institution, it does not mean that the community is in a state of insecurity.…”