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Invasion of Iraq

The Folly of Nation Building

War is costly. Nation building is costlier. And nation-building projects almost never succeed, as this analysis demonstrates.

Triumph of the New Wilsonism

No national interest was cited as a rationale for America's Libya campaign; the action was justified solely on humanitarian grounds. This marks a fundamental break with past U.S. policy prescriptions for such military interventions.

A Subversive on a Hill

With America mired in two wars and our economy in shambles, the chorus of declinists has returned. But the United States will endure because it is an elastic power.

End the Crusade

The debacle in Iraq reaffirms the lesson of a thousand years ago: there is no such thing as a good crusade; divine missions are not conducive to sensible policy.

Oil Price Warfare(1)

Winning wars in the future may depend not only on how many troops you can put into the field but for how long you can afford to pay high prices for gasoline.

Oil Price Warfare

War with Iran does not appear imminent and the prospect has not been a hot electoral issue. But Howard explains why war with oil-producing nations will likely be wholly unanticipated.

Commentary

Lessons from the Past for Syria Hawks

Those who want to rush to war over chemical-weapons allegations would be wise to consider history.

It's Not Too Soon to Tell

Paul Wolfowitz continues to be wrong about Iraq.

Fantasies of the Iraq Hawks

Is examining hypotheticals really better than examining what actually happened?

Blogs

Shooting First and Asking Questions Later

Americans must ask the tough questions now, not after a military adventure in Iran goes sour. 

"Hard Choices" Under Discussion at CNAS

The Iraq/nation-building/COIN true believers have some influence. But their ranks are small—and shrinking.

The Lie Continues

George W. Bush claims he decided to invade Iraq after careful deliberation. It's just not true.

Books & Reviews

Bridge On The River Euphrates

The much-vaunted surge has made Iraq safer. But more boots in the desert is not the only reason security has improved. As U.S. forces get ready to leave, we have to face some inconvenient political realities.

Betting on the Wrong Donkey

Recent proposals for beefing up Democratic national-security policy offer little in the way of fresh strategic thinking.

A War, or Un-War?

Experts Peña and Pham square off on Iraq.

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May 18, 2013