(Mis)use of Weapons: CERP in the Afghan Surge
Abstract
The Commanders Emergency Response Program (CERP) was initially a mechanism for spending captured Iraqi funds to relieve urgent humanitarian need in the early phase of the Iraq War. It evolved to include American funding and a broader mandate to assist the emerging counterinsurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Empowering frontline military forces to distribute money in an attempt to shape the environment was an innovation, but the absence of best practices and guidelines until much later in the wars, as well as a widespread lack of understanding of the economics of development, continuity, or useful metrics, hampered CERP in achieving its goals. Increased CERP funds were an element of the new strategy for Afghanistan advanced by the Barack H. Obama administration. The flawed premise of the surge, combined with a lack of military expertise in economic aid and Afghan culture, led to an outcome in which billions of dollars, spent with the best of intentions, hampered development and in some cases strengthened the insurgency.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 15, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1118693
Entities
People
- Rebecca Jensen
Organizations
- Marine Corps University