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.
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
Al-Qaeda’s resurgent and it’s putting itself back together on the Afghan-Pakistan border. How are U.S. efforts stacking up? A trip to the region.
Iraq may be emerging from intensive care, but it could use a bit more stitching up.
If you can't beat 'em, keep trying to beat 'em? The United States needs a new counterinsurgency strategy—and soon.
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.