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Occupation of Iraq

Something Is Rotten in the State of Iraq

Sunni vs. Shia. Kurd vs. Arab. Nationalist vs. Islamist. Iraq circa 2011 is looking an awful lot like Iraq circa 2004. The country is headed back to the anarchic depths from which it ever-so-briefly emerged.

On War and Choice

It has long been said that there are wars of necessity and wars of choice. But enemies always adapt, especially in our world of terrorists, failing states and delinquent regimes. Every war is a war of choice.

Spoils of Babylon

Kirkuk is about to bring Iraq back into civil war. The Obama administration is moving toward a settlement of this disputed region that will anger everyone.

The Art of Petraeus

There is no doubt that General Petraeus’s strategies salvaged Iraq. His successes, however, mask a vital policy debate about the future of our armed services.

Voting Blind

John McCain and Barack Obama are busily offering foreign-policy platitudes on the campaign trail, mostly about spreading freedom, working with allies and hunting down terrorists. But what exactly would they do if elected? Digging ourselves out of

Dollars & Sense

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

Commentary

The Neocon Response to Obama's Iraq Decision

The neocon arguments unleashed in the wake of the Obama decision are weak at best, disingenuous at worst.

The Case for Staying in Iraq

The top three reasons for rethinking the withdrawal.

Neocons' Iraq Criticism Rings Hollow

We want the Iraqi people to have their say. As long as they say what we want them to.

Blogs

Never Forget the Iraq War

Learning the many lessons of Operation Enduring Freedom—and making sure America does not repeat its mistakes.

Obama’s Win-Win on Iraq

From his early opposition to the withdrawal, Obama's Iraq track record is his ace in the hole.

Conservative Hawks Are Incoherent Regarding Iraq Troop Withdrawal

Are conservatives implying that the Obama administration should have overridden Iraqi objectives and just imposed our will?

Books & Reviews

Heirs of Sargon

Iraq has a long and tortured history. Home to the tyrant, the origins of despotism lie in the primordial ooze of the Mesopotamian swamp. Yet for a brief moment fifty years ago, the land of two rivers experienced democracy.

The Tao of the Arab Center

The Bush administration may have gotten a lot wrong, but there is still hope for America’s policy in the Middle East. Three books shed some light on how the United States can get over Iraq.

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.

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February 12, 2012