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The Iraq Inheritance

Iraq Inheritance

The Center for a New American Security is committed to shaping and elevating the debate on the most difficult strategic issues facing America - helping to forge a way forward and, ultimately, out of Iraq is a difficult but vital endeavor. On this page you will find a collection of reports, articles, media references, and online commentaries that highlight the work CNAS analysts are doing on the issue of Iraq. In a political and media environment dominated by partisanship, we hope this page will offer relevant and useful analysis to the media, the policy community, and the general public.

What The Iraqi Elections Mean For The U.S.
Author(s): Neil Conan
Source: NPR's Talk of the Nation
Date: 03/08/2010

March 8, 2010 - CNAS President John Nagl joined NPR's Neal Conan to discuss the implications of recent Iraqi elections for the future of U.S. involvement in that country, offering that the American military will continue to play an advisory role beyond scheduled troop withdrawals.

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What's at Stake After Iraq Elections
Source: C-SPAN Washington Journal
Date: 03/07/2010

March 7, 2010 - CNAS Senior Fellow Tom Ricks discusses sobering realities for post-election Iraq in an interview on C-SPAN's Washington Journal, noting that a "huge burden falls on Iraq's leaders to try and put together a government that won't spark a civil war."

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Counterinsurgency Operations in Iraq
Author(s): William Wise
Source: C-SPAN
Date: 03/05/2010

March 5, 2010 – CNAS experts Patrick Cronin, Tom Ricks, and Andrew Exum share their views on counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and the way forward on a panel hosted by John Hopkins’ SAIS and broadcast by C-SPAN.

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Iraq: Election Outlook
Author(s): Diane Rehm
Source: NPR's The Diane Rehm Show
Date: 03/04/2010

March 4, 2010 – CNAS Senior Fellow Tom Ricks discussing the Iraqi national election and its implications for the scheduled withdrawal of U.S. troops on NPR’s The Diane Rehm Show.

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U.S. Plan for Troop Exit Hinges on Iraq Elections
Source: NPR Morning Edition
Date: 03/03/2010

March 3, 2010 - CNAS Senior Fellow Tom Ricks discusses how upcoming parliamentary elections and the ensuing months will be a crucial barometer for the stability of a post-occupation Iraq on NPR's Morning Edition.

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Is It the Right Time to Leave Iraq?
Author(s): Wolf Blitzer
Source: CNN's Situation Room
Date: 03/01/2010

March 1, 2010 – CNAS Senior Fellow Tom Ricks explains the wisdom of keeping U.S. forces in Iraq past the 2011 withdrawal deadline to stave off a civil war on CNN’s The Situation Room.

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Extending Our Stay in Iraq
Author(s): Thomas Ricks
Source: The New York Times
Date: 02/24/2010

February 24, 2010 – CNAS Senior Fellow Tom Ricks argues that persistent political struggles in Iraq may force President Obama to postpone U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq in order to avoid a civil war in an op-ed in The New York Times.

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This is What Victory Looks Like
Author(s): Abraham Denmark
Source: Foreign Policy Magazine
Date: 02/09/2010

February 9, 2010 - CNAS Fellow Abraham Denmark argues in Foreign Policy that while U.S. diplomatic ambitions may have shrunk since the end of the Cold War, the United States is still achieving much success around the world and responding to a more complex, multipolar environment through a detailed diplomatic approach.  

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A Well-Written War, Told in the First Person
Author(s): Elisabeth Bumiller
Source: New York Times
Date: 02/07/2010

February 7, 2010 – Elisabeth Bumiller includes CNAS CEO Nate Fick’s memoir One Bullet Away and the new CNAS report Fixing Intel in a profile in The New York Times of the best writing to emerge from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  

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U.S. Budget: Is Defence Spending too Important to Cut?
Source: BBC News World Service
Date: 02/03/2010

February 3, 2010 - In an interview with BBC News, CNAS Research Associate Travis Sharp discusses potential tradeoffs that may arise in allocating future U.S. military spending, suggesting we will reach a point "when defense spending may not be as much of a sacred cow."

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The Burden: America's Hard Choices in Post-Election Iraq
Author(s): Thomas Ricks
Type of Publication: Policy Brief
Date: 02/24/2010

In this policy brief, CNAS Senior Fellow Tom Ricks argues that U.S. and Iraqi policymakers should go back to the drawing board and find a solution that prevents Iraq from unraveling, and  recommends the Obama Administration signal to Iraqi leaders that the United States is open to re-negotiating the Status of Forces Agreement.

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Contractors in American Conflicts: Adapting to a New Reality
Author(s): Richard Fontaine, John Nagl
Type of Publication: Working Papers
Date: 12/16/2009

When our nation goes to war, contractors go with it. This working paper explores the problems posed by the increased reliance of contractors in  Afghanistan and Iraq, including  insufficient oversight, inadequate integration into operational planning, and ambiguous legal status.

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After the Fire: Shaping the Future U.S. Relationship with Iraq
Author(s): John A. Nagl, Brian M. Burton
Type of Publication: Report
Date: 06/11/2009

Since 2003, debates about America’s role in Iraq have focused on how to withdraw U.S. forces. Yet the search for an “end game” emphasizes a short-term objective - getting out of Iraq - and sidesteps the strategic imperative of establishing an enduring relationship with a key country in a region of vital importance to the United States.

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Inside the Surge: One Commander’s Lessons in Counterinsurgency
Author(s): LTC Jim Crider, USA, Thomas E. Ricks (Foreword)
Type of Publication: Working Papers
Date: 06/11/2009

When Lieutenant Colonel Jim Crider arrived in the Doura neighborhood of Baghdad in February of 2007 as the commander of 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Riley, Kansas the Sunni neighborhood appeared beyond hope.

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Beyond Bullets: A Pragmatic Strategy to Combat Violent Islamist Extremism
Author(s): Kristin M. Lord, John A. Nagl, Seth Rosen
Type of Publication: Report
Date: 06/09/2009

Violent Islamist extremism will remain a potent threat to U.S. national security for the foreseeable future.  On our own soil, catastrophic terrorism — employing chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons — remains a remote but grave risk.

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Beyond Bullets: Strategies for Countering Violent Extremism
Author(s): Dr. John A. Nagl, Kristin M. Lord, Seth Rosen, Daniel Benjamin, Larry Diamond, David Kilcullen, Camille Pecastaing, Harvey M. Sapolsky, Alice E. Hunt (Editor)
Type of Publication: Report
Date: 06/08/2009

To counter the threat from violent Islamist extremism more effectively, the Center for a New American Security launched a strategy development process modeled after President Eisenhower’s Project Solarium.

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The Past and Present as Prologue: Future Warfare through the Lens of Contemporary Conflicts
Author(s): General Robert H. Scales
Type of Publication: Report
Date: 04/01/2009

April 2009 - Eight years of war have given the U.S. military an unparalleled opportunity to translate real war experience into a vision of how conflicts will be fought in the future. Getting a vision of the future more right than wrong depends on the military’s ability to sift through experiences gathered from combat to discern those that will endure. This monograph seeks to do just that.

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The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One
Author(s): David Kilcullen
Type of Publication: Book
Date: 03/17/2009

March 17, 2009 - David Kilcullen is one of the world's most influential experts on counterinsurgency and modern warfare. A Senior Counterinsurgency Advisor to General David Petraeus in Iraq, his vision of war dramatically influenced America's decision to rethink its military strategy in Iraq and implement "the surge."

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The Gamble: General Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008
Author(s): Thomas E. Ricks
Type of Publication: Book
Date: 02/10/2009

February 10, 2009 - In his new book out in stores February 10, CNAS Senior Fellow Thomas E. Ricks documents the inside story of the Iraq war since late 2005. Using hundreds of hours of interviews with top officers in Iraq and on-the-ground reporting, Ricks examines the events that took place as the military was forced to reckon with itself, the surge was launched, and a very different war began.

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Shaping the Iraq Inheritance
Author(s): Colin Kahl, Michele A. Flournoy, Shawn Brimley
Type of Publication: Report
Date: 06/11/2008

American policy in Iraq will undergo two critical transitions throughout the remainder of 2008 and into early 2009: movement to a new U.S. posture in Iraq; and a wartime transition to a new administration. It is vital that both are handled in a way that best advances U.S. interests in Iraq and the region. Yet neither is being paid sufficient attention. Shaping the Iraq Inheritance outlines America’s interests in Iraq and the region, analyzes recent security and political trends, presents a framework for understanding U.S. strategic options, and makes recommendations for how the Bush administration, the military, and Congress can best prepare for the dangerous period ahead.

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Have Lessons of Iraq War Been Learned?
Type: Audio
Date: 12/04/2009

December 4, 2009 - CNAS Senior Fellow Tom Ricks discusses how the U.S.  can apply the lessons of Iraq to forthcoming “surge” in Afghanistan on NPR’s All Things Considered.

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CNAS Book Launch: The Fourth Star - Video
Speaker(s): Greg Jaffe, David Cloud, Dana Priest
Type: Video
Date: 10/20/2009

The Center for a New American Security held a book launch and discussion on The Fourth Star, by journalists and former CNAS Writers in Residence Greg Jaffe and David Cloud.  The Fourth Star tells the story of the epic struggle for the future of the U.S. Army through profiling four influential generals who have arguably helped redefine the American way of war: Generals John Abizaid, George Casey Jr., Peter Chiarelli, and David Petraeus.  Watch the video from the event here.

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After the Fire: Shaping the U.S. Relationship with Iraq - June 11 Audio
Speaker(s): GEN Jack Keane, Dr. John A. Nagl, Thomas E. Ricks, George Packer, Ambassador Samir Sumaida'ie, Nazar Janabi
Type: Audio
Date: 06/11/2009

The full audio of the panel "After the Fire: Shaping the U.S. Relationship with Iraq" from the June 11, 2009, conference is available here.

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After the Fire: Shaping the U.S. Relationship with Iraq - June 11 Transcript
Speaker(s): GEN Jack Keane, Dr. John A. Nagl, Thomas E. Ricks, George Packer, Ambassador Samir Sumaida'ie
Type: Transcript
Date: 06/11/2009

The full transcript of the panel "After the Fire: Shaping the U.S. Relationship with Iraq" from the June 11, 2009, conference is available here.

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After the Fire: Shaping the U.S. Relationship with Iraq - June 11 Video
Speaker(s): GEN Jack Keane, Dr. John A. Nagl, Ambassador Samir Sumaida'ie
Type: Video
Date: 06/11/2009

The full video of the panel "After the Fire: Shaping the U.S. Relationship with Iraq" from the June 11, 2009, conference is available here.

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General Petraeus Keynote Address - June 11 Transcript
Speaker(s): General David H. Petraeus
Type: Transcript
Date: 06/11/2009

General David H. Petraeus delivered the morning keynote address at the Center for a New American Security's third annual conference, "Striking a Balance: A New American Security." The full transcript is available here.

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General Petraeus Keynote Address - June 11 Video
Speaker(s): General David H. Petraeus
Type: Video
Date: 06/11/2009

General David H. Petraeus delivered the morning keynote address at the Center for a New American Security's third annual conference, "Striking a Balance: A New American Security." The full video of his remarks is available here.

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Welcoming Remarks by Dr. Richard Danzig and Ambassador Nick Burns - June 11 Audio
Speaker(s): Honorable Dr. Richard J. Danzig, Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns
Type: Audio
Date: 06/11/2009

CNAS Chairman of the Board The Honorable Dr. Richard Danzig delivered the welcoming remarks at the CNAS third annual conference "Striking a Balance: A New American Security," along with CNAS Board Member Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns.

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Book Discussion: The Defense of Jisr al-Doreaa
Speaker(s): ADM Michael Mullen, Thomas E. Ricks, Major Michael L. Burgoyne , Major Albert J. Marckwardt
Type: Video
Date: 04/24/2009

From the lessons they learned during multiple tours in Iraq these two veterans wrote, The Defense of Jisr al-Doreaa, a concise guide for the conduct of counterinsurgency operations that provides valuable insights into how the nation should undertake its current conflicts and those in the future.

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Book Discussion: The Defense of Jisr al-Doreaa
Speaker(s): Major Michael L. Burgoyne , Major Albert J. Marckwardt
Type: Audio
Date: 04/24/2009

April 24, 2009 - Authors Michael L. Burgoyne and Albert J. Marckwardt, both Majors in the United States Army, discussed their book on counterinsurgency in Iraq, The Defense of Jisr al-Doreaa, with press and national security experts at the Center for a New American Security. Listen to the audio from the event here.

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The Burden: America’s Hard Choices in Post-Election Iraq

02/25/2010

The March 7 national election in Iraq and the period of government formation that will follow it carry enormous implications for both the future of the country and for U.S. policy there, according to a new CNAS policy brief by Senior Fellow Thomas E. Ricks.  With elections unlikely to resolve political struggles that fuel sectarian violence and Iraqi forces unable to stand alone, President Obama may find himself facing major decisions about troop levels and the U.S. role in post-election Iraq, writes Ricks.  

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Lieutenant General David W. Barno Joins CNAS as Senior Advisor and Senior Fellow

03/02/2010

The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is pleased to announce that Lieutenant General David W. Barno, U.S. Army (retired), is joining CNAS as a Senior Advisor and Senior Fellow on May 1, 2010.  General Barno, currently Director of the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University (NDU), will contribute to the Center’s work on U.S. defense policy, military strategy, veterans’ affairs and South and Central Asia, among other issues.

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CNAS Releases Two Working Papers on the Future of the Force

12/17/2009

The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) released today two important working papers, Contractors in Conflicts: Adapting to a New Reality and Time for Action: Redefining SOF Missions and Activities, as part of its ongoing work on the future of the U.S. military, which focuses on improving capabilities to confront future threats to our national security.

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Top National Security Reporters Eric Schmitt & Thom Shanker Join CNAS as Writers in Residence

10/15/2009

WASHINGTON, D.C., OCTOBER 15, 2009 - The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is pleased to announce that distinguished journalists Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker, who cover terrorism, the military, and national security for The New York Times, will join CNAS as Senior Writers in Residence in November 2009.

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CNAS President Dr. John Nagl Testifies Before SFRC on Afghanistan

09/16/2009

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 16, 2009 - CNAS President Dr. John Nagl testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday, September 16, 2009, at 2:30pm, in Room 419 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Dr. Nagl will discuss U.S. strategy in Afghanistan at the hearing called by SFRC Chairman, Senator John Kerry, "Exploring Three Strategies for Afghanistan."

The hearing is open to the public and will be streamed live here.

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CNAS Releases New Reports Available Now For Download

06/09/2009

WASHINGTON, D.C., JUNE 9, 2009 - CNAS has released several new reports and working papers for its third annual conference, “Striking a Balance: A New American Security" on Thursday, June 11.  Topics include Iraq, Afghanistan-Pakistan, Natural Security, and combating violent extremism. Each report offers strong, principled and pragmatic recommendations on how to strike a balance between immediate and long-term national security challenges facing the United States.

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Abu Muqawama Founder and Irregular Warfare Expert Andrew Exum Joins CNAS as a Fellow

03/16/2009

WASHINGTON, DC, March 16, 2009 - The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is pleased to announce that Abu Muqawama founder and irregular warfare expert Andrew Exum has joined CNAS as a Fellow.  At CNAS Exum will focus on the Middle East region, irregular warfare and Afghanistan among other issues. CNAS President John Nagl says, "Andrew Exum is one of the world's brightest thinkers and practitioners on irregular warfare.

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CNAS Announces New Leadership and Program Updates

02/17/2009

February 17, 2009 - The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) would like to congratulate Michèle Flournoy, Co-Founder and former President, who was sworn-in last week as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. While we will miss Michèle's leadership, drive, and deep knowledge of national security issues, we know she will do great things for the country and the Department of Defense.

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Bestselling Author Thomas E. Ricks Joins CNAS as a Senior Fellow

01/05/2009

WASHINGTON, DC, January 5, 2009 - The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is pleased to announce that bestselling author, Thomas E. Ricks, has joined CNAS as a Senior Fellow.  Concurrently with his duties at CNAS, he will write an online blog for ForeignPolicy.com called, "The Best Defense," serve as a contributing editor for Foreign Policy, and continue coverage as a special military correspondent for The Washington Post.
 

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David Kilcullen Joins CNAS as a Senior Fellow

11/19/2008

WASHINGTON, DC, November 19, 2008 – The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is pleased to officially announce that Dr. David Kilcullen has joined CNAS as a senior fellow.  Kilcullen was a non-resident senior fellow with CNAS for more than a year and collaborated with CNAS on Iraq and Afghanistan reports, as well as violent extremism and grand strategy Solarium projects in 2007 and 2008.

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NATO: Delivering Real Security in an Age of Uncertainty
Speaker(s): Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Date: February 22, 2010 - 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Location: Gaston Hall, Georgetown University - Washington, DC

On Monday, February 22, 2010, CNAS and Georgetown University hosted a discussion with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on the challenges and opportunities – including operations in Afghanistan – for the over 60-year-old Alliance. 

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CNAS Book Launch: The Fourth Star
Speaker(s): Greg Jaffe, David Cloud
Date: October 13, 2009 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Willard InterContinental Hotel's Grand Ballroom - Washington, DC

The Center for a New American Security held a book launch and discussion on The Fourth Star, by journalists and former CNAS Writers in Residence Greg Jaffe and David Cloud.  The Fourth Star tells the story of the epic struggle for the future of the U.S. Army through profiling four influential generals who have arguably helped redefine the American way of war: Generals John Abizaid, George Casey Jr., Peter Chiarelli, and David Petraeus.  Watch the video from the event here.

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Economic Stabilization Working Group
Date: July 8, 2009 - 10:00am - 3:00pm

The Center for a New American Security gathered senior-level experts at the U.S. Department of State, Defense, USAID, and various think tanks to discuss how economic tools can best contribute to U.S. strategy and operations in fragile and conflict-affected states.

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Striking a Balance: A New American Security
Speaker(s): The Honorable Judith McHale, Honorable Dr. Richard J. Danzig, GEN Jack Keane, Sharon Burke, Dr. John A. Nagl, Thomas E. Ricks, Nathaniel C. Fick, Dr. Kurt M. Campbell, Ambassador Wendy R. Sherman, General David H. Petraeus, George Packer, Professor Andrew J. Bacevich, Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns, Lt. General David W. Barno, Roderick G. Eggert, Peter H. Gleick, Dennis C. Wilder, Ambassador Samir Sumaida'ie, The Honorable John Warner, Dr. Victor Cha, Colonel Christopher G. Cavoli, Commander Esther J. McClure, Ambassador Thomas C. Hubbard, Nazar Janabi
Date: June 11, 2009 - 7:45am - 7:00pm
Location: Willard InterContinental Hotel - Washington, DC

Striking a Balance: A New American Security was an all-day CNAS conference highlighting the major foreign policy and national security challenges facing our nation in the critical time ahead.

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Book Discussion: The Defense of Jisr al-Doreaa
Speaker(s): Major Michael L. Burgoyne , Major Albert J. Marckwardt
Date: April 24, 2009 - 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Location: Center for a New American Security - Washington, DC

Authors Michael L. Burgoyne and Albert J. Marckwardt, both Majors in the United States Army, discussed their book on counterinsurgency in Iraq, The Defense of Jisr al-Doreaa, with press and national security experts at the Center for a New American Security.

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CNAS Book Discussion with David Kilcullen on New Book The Accidental Guerrilla
Speaker(s): David Kilcullen, David Ignatius
Date: April 1, 2009 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Willard InterContinental Hotel's Crystal Room - Washington, DC

The Center for a New American Security was honored to host the launch event for CNAS Senior Fellow and counterinsurgency expert David Kilcullen on his new book The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One, a book that takes an infinitely complicated situation like global terrorism and localized guerrilla warfare within the larger framework of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and makes them both understandable and interesting.

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Tom Ricks Releases New Book - The Gamble
Speaker(s): Thomas E. Ricks
Date: February 12, 2009 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Willard Intercontinental Hotel - Washington, DC

February 12, 2009 - The Center for a New American Security was thrilled to host CNAS Senior Fellow and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Thomas E. Ricks in an event to release his new book The Gamble: General Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008, a definitive account of the insurgency within the U.S. military that led to a radical shift in America's strategy in Iraq.

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David Sanger Launches New Book- The Inheritance
Speaker(s): David E. Sanger, Michael Beschloss
Date: January 15, 2009 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Willard Intercontinental Hotel - Washington, DC

January 15, 2009--The Center for a New American Security was pleased to host a book launch of The Inheritance: The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American Power, by David E. Sanger, Chief Washington Correspondent of The New York Times.

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Robert Kaplan Discusses Trouble in the Other Middle East
Speaker(s): Robert Kaplan
Date: December 9, 2008 - 12:00pm
Location: CNAS Conference Room - Washington, DC

On December 9th 2008, Senior Fellow Robert Kaplan discussed his most recent assignment in India.

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Press Briefing on Iraq with John Nagl, Colin Kahl, and Shawn Brimley
Speaker(s): Dr. Colin Kahl, Dr. John A. Nagl, Shawn Brimley
Date: August 13, 2008 (All day)
Location: The Center for a New American Security - Washington, DC

The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) held a press briefing on Wednesday, August 13, with Senior Fellows John Nagl, Colin Kahl, and Shawn Brimley on their recent trip to Iraq.  They traveled to Iraq on the invitation of General David Petraeus.  

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