Security Sector Reform, or SSR, is a type of governmental assistance in which another country supplies helpful support in the democratic direction. An example of this would be in Egypt when the United States Government helped develop their democracy. This sector also helps those who are used to being at war find places amongst society and be able to live their lives working a full time job, rather than a rebel outpost. The SSR uses the help of the citizens currently in place to form the democracy. In this sense, they do not go into the country and do anything. The SSR is assisting those who are already there. The following is a synopsis of the SSR and how it could help, and possibly has helped, the world.
West Africa, a sometimes highly dangerous place, was subject to SSR attempts to help. The SSR is currently trying to find the sources of threat, which are, as Adedeji Ebo states, “...it is evident that the sources of threat are often internal and that the targets/victims are not merely states and security forces.” (Ebo). The SSR is still trying to help the government and to some degree it has been successful. Another case was in Iraq, when the Iraqi government had problems as Arnold Luethold states, “However, the Coalition Provisional Authority’s (CPA) decision to dissolve all the forces, including the police forces, without prior consultation with Iraqis, has met considerable criticism in Iraq and abroad, for it was perceived to undermine Iraq’s stability. (Luethold).
