Program Related Publication Feeds

The Broader Crisis in Iraq

ian — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

It is tempting to focus solely on the evolving political crisis and power struggle between Prime Minister Maliki and his opponents, but this is only part of the crisis in Iraq.

Iraq’s Broader Political and Governance Challenges

The Real Outcome of the Iraq War: US and Iranian Strategic Competition in Iraq

ian — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The events of the last few days have made it all too clear that the US celebrated the end of the Iraq War without any realism as to the impact of the war and US occupation or the fact that the real result has been to create a new theater of competition between the US and Iran.

The End of the War in Iraq: A Graphic Overview

ecurran — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The US has sharply cutback its reporting on the Iraq War since the spring of 2011. There are, however, still a number of sources that help put both the Iraq War and the current state of Iraq into perspective.

The "End" of the War in Iraq?

ian — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

It is all too clear that most Americans want the war in Iraq to be over. A Gallup poll in October found that 75% approved of President Obama’s withdrawal of U.S. troops, although Americans divide sharply by party: 96% Democrats, 77% independents, and 43% Republicans. There are good reasons for such feelings. In spite of U.S.

Iraq in Transition: A Status Report

kate — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The war if Iraq has received only limited attention in the US media and various research centers over the last year. It remains, however, a critical aspect of US national security, and involves more vital US strategic interest than the conflict in Afghanistan.

Iraq: Patterns of Violence, Casualty Trends and Emerging Security Threats

ian — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Unless major changes take place in US and Iraqi policy, American combat forces will withdraw from Iraq at the end of this year. The Iraq War will not come to an end with this withdrawal, any more than it did when the US withdrew from Iraqi cities and formally ended combat operations early in the summer of 2010.

Iraq’s Coming National Challenges

amausner — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

While it is tempting to focus on Iraq’s very real political divisions -- and its ongoing, low-level insurgency – it is equally important for both Iraqis and the US to realize that they must take immediate steps to focus on the full range of issues that will define Iraq’s future.

The Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR)

amausner — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500

There are times to be polite about a dismal bureaucratic failure. Wartime is not one of them.

Snatching Defeat: Shape and Fund the Future US Posture in Iraq or Lose the War

ian — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Important as the START Treaty and Afghan Wars may be, the most important single national security decision the US must make over the next six months is almost certainly its future civil and military posture in Iraq. The US cannot control the future shape of its strategic partnership with Iraq, it can only influence it.

Private Security Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq: The Potential Impact of the Montreux Document

ian — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The role of private security companies has been a constant source of concern and trouble in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Such forces are essential in nations which do not yet have adequate security forces or a rule of law but can quickly become a “necessary evil” -- or an “evil necessity” – if they do not have the proper controls.

Afghan and Iraqi Metrics and the IED Threat

ian — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) recently issued updated information on the IED threat in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Burke Chair has prepared short analyses of the trends in the data for both Iraq and Afghanistan, which are now available on the CSIS web site.

Iran, Iraq, and the Changing Face of Defense Cooperation in the Gulf

amausner — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The Southern Gulf states, the region, and the US all face a rapidly changing threat environment in the Gulf, and a sharply rising need for defense cooperation. These needs, and the changes in threat and military balance that shape them, are described in detail in a new analysis developed by the Arleigh A.

Iraq: The Realities of U.S. "Withdrawal of Combat Forces" and the Challenges of Strategic Partnership

ian — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The U.S. has announced the end of the “combat phase” in Iraq, although it continues to fly air combat sorties over Iraq and will maintain six U.S. Advisory and Assistance Brigades with about 50,000 soldiers up to the end of 2011.

Update on the US Withdrawal From Iraq

amausner — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400

There are three areas where there still seems to be confusion about the formal end of US combat operations in Iraq. Many of these issues have already been address in two sets of analyses by the Burke Chair:

Iraq After the Election

amausner — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The attention focused on the Afghan conflict is more than justified by the uncertain course of that war, but this is no reason for the growing neglect of Iraq. Even the best outcome of the Afghan and Pakistan conflict cannot end the threat from terrorism and extremism. At best, it will diminish it locally as the threat shifts to other countries and areas.

Iraq and the United States

jdunton — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

If Iraq and the United States are to win the war in any meaningful and lasting sense, they must translate the Strategic Agreement they signed in November 2008 into a lasting and functional strategic partnership.

Reforming ANSF Metrics

amausner — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The development of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) is one of the most critical aspects of the war. NATO/ISAF simply cannot bring this war to a successful conclusion without transitioning responsibility for security to the Afghans.

Determining the Real Results of the Iraqi Election

amausner — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Iraq has accomplished a milestone in holding a true national election in which every major ethnic group and sect took part. At the same time, there is good reason for caution. It is all too easy to congratulate a nation on its elections, and to forget that even the best election is meaningless unless it is followed by effective political leadership and effective governance.

The New "War on Terrorism"

amausner — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Few talk today about the “Global War on Terrorism,” and few should. The phrase was always too broad and too ambiguous, and it implied some kind of unity in the threat that never existed. It is important, however, to look beyond today’s headlines about Yemen and consider the broader range of threats the US now faces on a regional basis.

Iraq: Security Trends

amausner — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Iraq has made significant progress in defeating the insurgency and improving its security. The level of violence in Iraq is sharply lower than the levels that peaked in 2007.

Iraq: Security and the Challenges of Lasting "Victory"

amausner — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The Changing Challenge to Iraqi Security

Iraqi Trends and Afghan Resources

amausner — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The Burke Chair at CSIS is issuing two new reports on the Iraq and Afghan Wars.

The Iraq report Recent Trends in the Iraq War: Maps and Graphs can be downloaded here.

Shape, Clear, Hold, and Build: "The Uncertain Lessons of the Afghan & Iraq Wars"

ian — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The US is losing the war in Afghanistan, and we risk losing the gains we have made in Iraq, largely as a result of our own mistakes. After eight years of war, the US is still seeking to learn how to address the problems of armed nation building.

Shape, Clear, Hold, and Build

amausner — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

(Speech given at the Cosmos Club on September 24, 2009)

We face a crisis in two wars. The US is losing the war in Afghanistan and we risk losing the gains we have made in Iraq, largely as a result of our own mistakes. After eight years of war the US is still seeking to learn how to address the problems of armed nation building.

Resourcing For Defeat

amausner — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The United States is now losing the war in Afghanistan, and is failing to consolidate its victory in Iraq. Reversing this situation requires changes in strategy, but it also requires significant additional resources.

Shape, Clear, Hold, and Build

amausner — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The US experience in the Afghan and Iraq Wars is scarcely over. It has, however, already produced a wide range of lessons. Some are narrow and apply largely at the tactical or technical level.

Withdrawal from Iraq

jdunton — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Iraq and the United States face a critical transition through 2011 and beyond. The awkward reality is that an Iraqi-U.S. failure to properly manage the U.S. withdrawal and the creation of effective Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) is as serious a threat to Iraq's future stability and security as any internal or external threat. Realism is a key to future success.

Resourcing for Defeat

sherry — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Iraq: A Time to Stay?

amausner — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

There may well be a case for accelerating some aspects of the US military withdrawal from Iraq. The present plan has an insurance plan built into the withdrawal schedule. It delays the start of further major reductions until after the Iraqi national election in early 2010, and then rushes them out before August. So far, things have gone better in Iraq than some anticipated.

Iraq’s Fracture Lines

amausner — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

There may well be a case for accelerating some aspects of the US military withdrawal from Iraq. The present plan has an insurance factor built in to the withdrawal schedule. It delays the start of major further reductions until after the Iraqi national election in early 2010, and then rushes them out before August. So far, things have gone better in Iraq than some anticipated.

Iraq: USCENTCOM and Iraqi Government Estimates of the Trends in the Patterns in Violence and Casualties

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The last few weeks have been filled with grim reports of suicide and bombing attacks in Iraq. They serve as a warning that the struggle against al Qaeda in Iraq, Shi’ite extremists in the Mahdi Army, and other causes of civil violence are not over. As U.S. officials and commanders have repeatedly warned, the situation is “fragile” at best.

Iraq: The Broader Trends in Iraqi Violence

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Iraqi Security and "Hearts and Minds"

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

One problem with even the best polls is that users tend to focus on the summary results and not the details.

The Future Challenge of the Iraq and Afghan-Pakistan Wars

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Q1:What are the resource conflicts between Afghanistan and Iraq? Does the United States need to rush out of Iraq or delay on Afghanistan? What are the trade-offs? Can the United States do both?

The Iraq War

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The debate over the impact of U.S. withdrawals from Iraq depends heavily on just how much progress has been made in defeating al Qaeda in Iraq and in maintaining relative stability.

The Iraqi Elections

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq (IHEC) announced the preliminary result of the provincial elections in Iraq in 14 governorates, not including Dohuk, Erbil, Sulemaniayh, or &ldq

Keeping the Iraqi Elections in Perspective

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Iraqis have good reasons to celebrate the conduct of their local and provincial elections. They have taken place with a minimum of violence and with relatively high levels of participation.

The Iraq War

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The debate over the impact of U.S. withdrawals from Iraq depends heavily on just how much progress has been made in defeating al Qaeda in Iraq and in removing the threat from Moqtada Al Sadr and the Madhi Army.

Transferring Provinces to Iraqi Control

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The victories that Iraqi and Coalition forces have won to date may have largely dealt with the “win” aspects of a “win, hold, and build” strategy, but this is only part of t

U.S. Casualties

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Recent media attention has focused on the fact that the number of soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan has recently surpasses the number of soldiers killed in Iraq. However, extrapolating

Sadr and the Mahdi Army

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Iraq still faces three major internal security risks: First, the resurgence of Al Qa’ida in Iraq; second, the risk that ethnic or sectarian tensions could turn violent, rather than be solved

U.S. Troop Levels And Iraqi Perceptions of the United States

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Americans tend to see US troop levels in Iraq as being shaped by a US-domestic political debate. Polling by ABC News and other groups, however, tells another side of the story.

The Ongoing Lessons of Armed Nation Building In Afghanistan and Iraq

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The attached briefing was given at the Center for National Progress on June 10th, and attempts to summarize the strategic and tactical lessons we should have learned from our operations in Afghanis

The Iraq War

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Burke Chair has developed a major update to its comprehensive briefing on key developments in the fighting, drawing on material provided by the Multinational Force- Iraq (MNF-I), the Department

Quietism and the U.S. Postion in Iraq

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani is a key figure in Iraq, who is widely recognized for his leadership of the larger Shi’ite community. Al-Sistani has both a huge following and historical ties

Iraqi Force Development 2008

Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are the key to enduring stability in Iraq, and their ability to secure the country is the single most important factor determining the pace of US withdrawals.&

The Presidential Campaign, the Iraq and Afghan-Pakistan Wars, and the Coming Year of Uncertainty

Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Use this link to download the report: http://www.csis.org/files/media/csis/pubs/080521_iraq_afghan_uncert.pdf

The Iraq War

Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Iraq War is an extremely complex conflict, and one where the overall trends and developments are difficult to track with any clarity.

War in Iraq

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

This report examins Iraqi and U.S. views of the war and its aftermath. It was presented at CSIS by Gary Langer on April 30, 2008.

The Shi'ite Gamble

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

It is becoming clearer and clearer that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s offensive in Basra is more of a power struggle with Sadr than an effort to deal with security, “militias,”