It is too soon to tell if the Iraq war was "worth it." That depends on whether Iraq can make the difficult transition to become a stable democracy and an ally against Islamist extremism, Iran, and terrorist groups. But on balance, the Iraq war was a risk worth taking in view of the dangers inherent in ignoring Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism, his serial massacres…
Last week White House Press Secretary Jay Carney promised the President would soon make a major address “on the Middle East and U.S. policy in the Middle East...to a broader audience than just the Arab world.” It is long past time for President Barack Obama to lay out a plan for how his Administration will address the historic change sweeping this part of the world. By…
While all eyes are on the political violence in Egypt, the Obama Administration has labored in crisis mode, struggling to stay ahead of the rapidly moving events. Washington’s problem is that publicly the White House appears to be floundering, focusing myopically on events on Tahrir Square rather than exercising real presidential leadership and proactively working to…
President Obama’s televised speech on Iraq will mark the “official” end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq and the transition to an “advise and assist” mission. The President undoubtedly hopes to assure voters ahead of the November elections that he is winding down the war. The irony is that current progress in Iraq was enabled by the Bush Administration’s surge policy,…
Iraq’s March 7 parliamentary elections will be a major milestone that will help determine that nation’s future political evolution and prospects for security and stability. Additionally, these elections will significantly affect the Obama Administration’s plans for a rapid drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq. The elections will hopefully produce a broad-based multi-party…
Peter Brookes discussing Iraq and Afghanistan.…
Peter Brookes discussing whether we should declare victory and leave Iraq.…
Jim Phillips commenting on U.S and Iraqi relations.…
When Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki meets with President Barack Obama at the White House tomorrow several issues will be high on the agenda, including the need to accelerate Iraq's lagging political reconciliation efforts. But despite the importance of this long-term process, one topic deserves even more urgent attention: How to immediately strengthen bilateral…
Your excellencies, friends, fellow workers in the field of justice and peace, it is indeed an honor to be able to share a few thoughts and pose a few questions on this topic that I believe you are best able to address. I first met Pilar Lara over five years ago in Washington when I worked in the State Department's Bureau of International Organization Affairs,…
A few Members of Congress, motivated by American combat in the Middle East, have called for the reinstatement of a compulsory military draft. The case for coercing young citizens to join the military is supposedly based on social justice?that all should serve?and seems to be buttressed by reports of shortfalls in voluntary enlistment. In a New York Times op-ed…
The falling statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad is an evocative image. It signals that the U.S.-led military action against the Hussein regime has been a success. This signal of success is backed by tangible evidence of a successful military operation in more substantive terms. This evidence is found in a review of the mission objectives for Operation Iraqi…
The difficulties that the U.S. military and other coalition forces have experienced in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the consternation expressed in the Western press and public opinion should come as no surprise--in part because both press and people have scant appreciation for the difficulties of post-war occupation. Yet there is legitimate cause for complaint. The…
The President of the United States has no greater responsibility than protecting the American people from threats, both foreign and domestic. He is vested by the Constitution with the authority and responsibility to accomplish this essential task. In taking his oath of office, the President swears to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United…
The chronic terrorist violence in Iraq, rising projections of rebuilding costs, and growing strains on U.S. troop deployments have prodded the Bush Administration to shift gears on its Iraq policy and explore a greater role for the United Nations. But negotiations with France and other members of the U.N. Security Council that opposed the Iraq war appear to have…
Just one day after announcing a 48-hour ultimatum for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq, President Bush once again has been criticized for "unilateralism." On the contrary, a large, and growing, number of countries have decided to join a "coalition of the willing" to liberate Iraq. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Tuesday announced that, "We now have…
Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and a growing list of other Senators are co-sponsoring an amendment to the defense authorization bill that calls for the implementation of the recommendations of last year's Iraq Study Group (ISG) report. This effort undermines the President's authority as Commander in Chief in the middle of a difficult war…
Helping Iraq to become a secure and stable nation in the heart of the Middle East is in the national interest of the United States. Iraq's best chance for long-term stability is to develop democratic institutions that will protect the basic civil, political, and human liberties and rights of the Iraqi people. In Iraq, freedom, democracy, and civil society-…
Iraq's January 31 provincial elections were another important milestone on Iraq's long and difficult journey toward becoming a stable democracy. According to preliminary results, the big electoral winner was Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law coalition. While 10 percent of the votes must still be counted, it is apparent that the relatively peaceful…
U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441, passed on November 8, 2002, has put Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein on notice that he has one "final opportunity" to comply with his disarmament obligations and avoid war. The Security Council unanimously approved the resolution, which threatened "serious consequences" if Iraq fails to disclose and dismantle it long range…
Congress tomorrow will begin a second round of hearings on Iraq featuring General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. A major topic is likely to be the recent round of fighting in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, and its implications for U.S. policy. Although the clashes in Basra have been widely misreported as a one-sided defeat for Prime Minister Nouri…
As the battle between Iraqi security forces and Iranian-backed Shia militias raged in the port of Basra over the past week, British troops remained largely on the sidelines. Thirty-thousand Iraqi soldiers were sent into the city by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to retake control from the Mahdi Army led by Iranian-based firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, but they…
In recent days there has been an uptick of fighting in Iraq. Shiite militia groups have battled with government security forces in Basra, and the fighting has spilled over into Baghdad and other cities. In contrast to the spiraling violence two years ago, when Iranian-backed extremists and al-Qaeda terrorists tried to goad the country toward a sectarian civil war,…
On the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the United States has proved its critics wrong--again. The U.S.-led surge has been a remarkable success, and the fledgling democracy is no longer on the path to civil war. The ballot box and the rule of law are now replacing terrorism, fear, and intimidation as the norm. For historians looking for evidence of American…
“We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the...…
A recent report illustrates how miles of red tape are hindering the nation’s ability to properly fund and equip the...…
Even as the U.S. withdraws from Iraq and Afghanistan, the world has certainly not become a safer place. North Korea...…
The chorus of those calling for the resignation of Richard Falk from his position with the U.N. Human Rights Council...…
Ten years of war have put major wear and tear on U.S. military equipment -- creating a scenario of a "hollow force"...…
Senator John McCain (R–AZ) bombarded top U.S. commander in Afghanistan General Joseph Dunford at a recent Senate Armed...…
In a recent article in National Review, Heritage distinguished fellow and former Senator Jim Talent (R–MO) explains...…
The leader of al-Qaeda’s Iraq branch, the Islamic State of Iraq, announced on Tuesday the formal merger of his...…
Under President Obama’s leadership, U.S. influence among Middle East nations has waned, and in fact declined since...…
Today is the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq. There will be much heated debate and discussion...…
John McCain, Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham
Reuel Marc Gerecht
Editorial
Marie Colvin
Peter D. Feaver
Austin Bay
Paul Ignatius
Anthony H. Cordesman
Bing West
Myriam BenraadForeignPolicy.com
Charles Krauthammer
Eric Hamilton
Sudarsan Raghavan
Clarissa Ward
Martin Sieff
Ralph Peters
William Kristol
Douglas J. Feith
Max Boot
Ann Gildroy and Michael O'Hanlon
Stephen Biddle, Michael E. O'Hanlon, and Kenneth M. Pollack
Frederick W. Kagan
Nada Bakri
Hannah Allam, Jonathan S. Landay and Warren P. Strobel
Michael Knights
Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham
Leila Fadel
Ernesto Londono
Karen DeYoung
Peter Feaver
Victor Davis Hanson
Bill Roggio
Dan Senor
Simon Henderson
Gina Chon
Kimi Yoshino
Ernesto Londoño
Ahmed Ali
Bing West and Max Boot
Marisa Cochrane Sullivan
Kimberly Kagan and Frederick W. Kagan
Michael E. O'Hanlon and Kenneth M. Pollack
John R. Lott, Jr.
Mark Kukis
Anthony Shadid
Michael Rubin
Michael O'Hanlon
Pete Hegseth
Eli Lake
Mary Beth Sheridan
Ann Scott Tyson
Peter Wehner
Fouad Ajami
Rod Nordland
Stephen Biddle, Michael E. O'Hanlon and Kenneth M. Pollack
Marc A. Thiessen
Howard LaFranchi
Melik Kaylan
Transcript
The Editors
Claire Russo and Marisa Cochrane
Ambassador Charles Ries, Coordinator for Economic Transition in Iraq, U.S. State Department
Scott Carpenter and Michael Rubin
Stephen F. Hayes
Charles Levinson
Gary Langer
J. Scott Carpenter and Ahmed Ali
Frederick W. Kagan and Kimberly Kagan
James Pethokoukis
Frederick W. Kagan, Jack Keane and Kimberly Kagan
Kimberly Kagan
Amir Taheri
Frederick W. Kagan, Kimberly Kagan and Jack Keane
James Dubik
Michael Duffy
Michael Gerson
Bret Stephens
Michael R. Gordon
Joby Warrick
Borzou Daragahi and Julian E. Barnes
Julian E. Barnes
Aamer Madhani
Sabrina Tavernise
Richard Perle
Lawrence Kudlow
Condoleezza Rice and Robert Gates
Nazar Janabi
Arthur Herman
Brian Bennett
Gordon Lubold
Senior Research Fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs