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
Iraq may be emerging from intensive care, but it could use a bit more stitching up.
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.