U.S. humanitarian and development NGOs often operate in countries experiencing conflict, political instability and man-made and natural disasters. In order to ensure the success of critical programs and protect both local and international staff in such conditions, NGOs must maintain their impartiality and independence. Any appearance that NGOs are too closely aligned with the foreign policy objectives of outside governments—such as supporting counterterrorism activities or engaging in intelligence gathering—could make them the target of onerous regulation by host country governments and compromise staff safety.