CFR.org - Iraq

Iraq's Worsening Situation

Council on Foreign Relations — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:03:37 -0400

The political standoff between the Shiite government of Nuri al-Maliki and Sunni protestors is fueling growing instability in Iraq, which recorded its most violent month in five years, explains Iraq expert Ned Parker.

Lessons and Legacy of the Iraq War

Council on Foreign Relations — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:31:57 -0400

Experts discuss what lessons the military learned during the Iraq war, and how the war in Iraq will influence future policy making.

Lessons and Legacy of the Iraq War

Council on Foreign Relations — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:41:10 -0400

Experts discuss what lessons the military learned during the Iraq war, and how the war in Iraq will influence future policy making.

The Lessons and Legacy of the Iraq War

Council on Foreign Relations — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:24:08 -0400

Experts discuss what lessons the military learned during the Iraq war, and how the war in Iraq will influence future policy making.

Press Conference by Secretary Kerry on Trip to Iraq, March 2013

Council on Foreign Relations — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 09:18:00 -0400

Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Baghdad to meet with Iraqi leaders on March 24, 2013, after traveling with President Barack Obama on his Middle East trip.

So, You Want Another War?

Council on Foreign Relations — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:51:21 -0400

Leslie H. Gelb reflects on the tenth anniversary of U.S. involvement in Iraq in the context of the continuing conflict in Syria.

Believe It or Not, We’re Safer Now

Council on Foreign Relations — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:48:06 -0400

Concerning the United States' legacy in Iraq Meghan L. O'Sullivan writes, "Had Saddam not been removed, it is almost certain that we would still be facing a volatile and potentially even more dangerous Middle East."

Was the Iraq War Worth Its Cost to the U.S.?

Council on Foreign Relations — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:31:32 -0400

According to Meghan L. O'Sullivan, "Given the several still-undetermined variables and the wide variety of plausible outcomes, it is too early to bring final judgment on American efforts in Iraq even 10 years on."

The Iraq War at Ten

Council on Foreign Relations — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:59:03 -0400

Meghan L. O'Sullivan reflects on the past decade of U.S. involvement in Iraq.

Tracking the Iraq War

Council on Foreign Relations — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:35:56 -0400

Trace the Iraq war campaign through ten CFR meetings that assembled some of the leading foreign policy analysts and news figures of the past decade.

The What If's of Iraq

Council on Foreign Relations — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:18:56 -0400

Max Boot reflects on the tenth-anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Al-Qaeda in Iraq

Council on Foreign Relations — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:07:45 -0400

In the wake of the U.S. withdrawal, a resurgent al-Qaeda in Iraq, allied with jihadist fighters in neighboring Syria, constitutes a considerable threat to regional security, explains this Backgrounder.

Did the Iraq War Give Birth to the Arab Spring?

Council on Foreign Relations — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:12:43 -0400

Ed Husain writes that the ongoing Arab revolutions were inspired by "other, more direct developments," not the war in Iraq.

Issue Guide: Iraq Invasion Ten Years After

Council on Foreign Relations — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:53:30 -0400

This guide provides expert analysis and background on some of the central issues facing Iraq ten years after the U.S.-led invasion.

The Iraq Invasion Ten Years Later: A Wrong War

Council on Foreign Relations — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:23:28 -0400

The Bush administration's decision to wage war on Iraq in 2003 still looms large for its flaws and its damage to U.S. interests, says CFR President Richard Haass.

Learning from Iraq: Final Report from Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, March 2013

Council on Foreign Relations — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 09:18:21 -0500

Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) Stuart Bowen produced this final report for Congress, released March 6, 2013. The report details how much money was spent and which programs it funded over the nine year reconstruction in Iraq, and seven lessons the United States can learn about stabilization and reconstruction efforts. Other quarterly reports to Congress and the legislation that created SIGIR are also available.

Difficult Times Ahead for Iraq

Council on Foreign Relations — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:59:45 -0500

The government of Nouri al-Maliki faces a number of challenges in the coming year, including strong opposition from Sunnis, Kurds, and fellow Shiites, says CFR's Meghan O'Sullivan.

Revenge of the Kurds

Council on Foreign Relations — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:33:38 -0400

The mood in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Dohuk -- the three largest cities in Iraqi Kurdistan -- is newly buoyant these days, and with good reason.

Iraq’s Oil Could Reshape Global Energy Landscape

Council on Foreign Relations — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:04:15 -0400

Blake Clayton says Iraq is in a unique position to help take the edge off a global oil market under serious strain, but time will tell whether the country will achieve its lofty goals—or if they will remain a mirage.

Testing the Surge: Why Did Violence Decline in Iraq in 2007?

Council on Foreign Relations — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 12:48:56 -0400

Examining the decline of violence in Iraq at the end of 2007, Stephen Biddle, Jeffrey A. Friedman, and Jacob Shapiro argue, "A synergistic interaction between the surge and the [Sunni] Awakening was required for violence to drop as quickly and widely as it did: both were necessary; neither was sufficient."

Ryan Crocker: America’s Diplomatic Superstar Speaks Out

Council on Foreign Relations — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 14:22:02 -0400

In Newsweek, Leslie H. Gelb weaves surprising lessons on when to make war and peace from interviews with Ryan Crocker, former Ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

Renewed Violence in Iraq

Council on Foreign Relations — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:44:34 -0400

Though violence in Iraq has fallen to its lowest level since 2003, internal and regional dynamics threaten its stability. Douglas Ollivant, senior fellow at the New America Foundation, , argues that despite the U.S. military withdrawal, the United States has a significant stake in helping Iraq overcome threats of ethnosectarian violence and a breakdown of constitutional order.

Deterrence Lessons From Iraq

Council on Foreign Relations — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:07:08 -0400

Debates about the possibility of containing a nuclear Iran often hinge on judgments of whether the regime there is rational. But as a wealth of recently released Iraqi documents about Saddam Hussein's tumultuous reign in Iraq show, even an arguably rational leader can be unreasonable -- and very hard to deter.

Is Iraq on Track?

Council on Foreign Relations — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:25:09 -0400

Iraq is hardly the failed state that Ned Parker portrayed in these pages, argues Antony Blinken, the U.S. vice president's national security adviser. Norman Ricklefs sees Iraq's politics becoming more moderate and less sectarian. Parker replies that despite these improvements, Baghdad still violates human rights and ignores the rule of law.

Testing the Surge: Why Did Violence Decline in Iraq in 2007?

Council on Foreign Relations — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 17:31:58 -0400

Stephen Biddle, Jeffrey A. Friedman, and Jacob N. Shapiro examine the reasons for the reversal in 2007 from years of intense bloodshed in Iraq to almost four years of relative calm since then.

Iraq's 'Precarious' Future

Council on Foreign Relations — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 08:29:13 -0400

Ongoing violence and corruption in Iraq since the U.S. military pullout could augur a return to full-on sectarian strife and continued poor governance, says CFR's Ned Parker.

Joint Statement of the US - Iraq Defense and Security Cooperation Joint Coordinating Committee, May 2012

Council on Foreign Relations — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:46:02 -0400

The State Department released this joint statement by the U.S. and Iraq, at the first meeting of the US - Iraq Defense and Security Cooperation Joint Coordinating Committee on May 24, 2012.

Israel and Iran: The Grounds for an Israeli Attack

Council on Foreign Relations — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:08:38 -0400

Elliott Abrams explains the grounds for an Israeli attack on the Iranian nuclear weapons program, and for American support of such an attack.

Syrian Tremors at Arab Summit

Council on Foreign Relations — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:42:11 -0400

The Arab League summit in Baghdad is focused on Syria, but events on the ground appear to have already outpaced the regional group, says CFR's Mohamad Bazzi.

Iraq Can Move Arab States to New Economic Focus

Council on Foreign Relations — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:57:17 -0400

Meghan L. O'Sullivan discusses the Arab League summit convening in Bhaghdad.