Dov S. Zakheim

Dov Zakheim served as the undersecretary of defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer for the U.S. Department of Defense from 2001–2004 and as the deputy undersecretary of defense (planning and resources) from 1985-1987. He also served as DoD's civilian coordinator for Afghan reconstruction from 2002–2004. He is a member of The National Interest's advisory council. 


Essays

Pundits across the political spectrum have been busy making pronouncements about the “real” financial and political costs of the war in Iraq. Most of them are just blowing smoke. In TNI’s Realist, Grover Norquist and Dov Zakheim separate fact from

Responding to Dimitri K. Simes’s assertion that we aren’t having a real debate over foreign policy, Derek Chollet argues the Democrats are providing genuine alternatives; Grover G. Norquist looks at the structural reasons inhibiting both parties f

Defining what constitutes victory in Iraq is the number one question in American politics. Washington needs to go beyond offering bumper-sticker cliches to provide workable yardsticks for measuring success. Some thoughts on the matter.

The political soil of the Middle East has not been tilled by the Western Enlightenment. Growing democracy there must take this into account.

The upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review will have to go beyond superficial plans, address the international environment squarely, assess real savings and the difficult political decisions that they will engender, and avoid budgetary sleights-of-ha

The Great Debate

Several TNI regulars assess the campaign's last debate.

Commentary

Erbil has a lot to offer the United States.

National security remains on the president’s radar screen. But it is not nearly as important as other issues.

There is simply no justification for having a single American killed or wounded on the Afghan battlefield if all is certain to come to naught in a year’s time or less.

The administration has been too reluctant to take concrete steps in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Work programs at home and development in America's neighborhood could stop illegal border crossings.

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May 25, 2013