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February 5, 2009 | Playing With Fire: Arming Tribal Militias Won't Work

Abbas Daiyar: The US’ latest program to arm tribal groups in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban is based on flawed comparisons with Iraq. Prominent ethnic and tribal tensions will only flourish, entrenching instability and increasing bloodshed. The US and NATO must understand these realities and rethink the plan.

November 5, 2008 | A New Day Rising After Election Night

From the Editorial Team: We spent the election night at a number of parties throughout Berlin. In light of the blithe atmosphere surrounding these events, we decided to ask fellow revelers a few questions regarding their election thoughts.

November 3, 2008 | Thank you, Mr. President

Heinrich Maetzke: Here is a politically incorrect assessment: President Bush will hand over to his successor a Middle Eastern foreign policy outlook far brighter than the one he inherited from Bill Clinton. Strenuous double containment of Iraq and Iran has given way to difficult but doable containment of Iran. And Iraq looks like the most promising country in the entire region.

October 17, 2008 | The United States: Heroes of the Retreat

Jan Ross: America’s superior power position has long begun to crumble. The faith of the American people in the US mission has been shaken by the politics of an unpopular president and threatening economic developments. The US does not only need “change” right now. America needs healing.

September 25, 2008 | Private Wars: The Renaissance of Western Mercenary Warfare

Thomas Speckmann: To Western democracies, the idea of war privatization is still largely associated with the reign of warlords in Africa and Afghanistan. However, privatization is also sneaking into Western warfare. This new financial aspect of war needs to be regulated on a national and global scale.

July 23, 2008 | EU Should Provide Shelter to Iraqi Refugees

Zaborzka, Casini, Szymanski, Weber: EU member states should unite to offer immediate assistance in the Middle East and especially in the North of Iraq. The establishment of quotas would enable the EU to welcome the most vulnerable Iraqi refugees and prevent another human tragedy in the region.

November 22, 2007 | Obama's Global Approach

Mark Brzezinski: Barack Obama’s candidacy for the US presidency gives America an opportunity to redefine itself in relationship with the world, because he takes a global approach to US challenges rather than a more conventional approach.

October 1, 2007 | Asking the Wrong Questions on Iran

Tony Karon: The West should not be asking whether Tehran will build nuclear weapons in the future, but rather how the regime can be persuaded that it doesn’t need them.

July 12, 2007 | The Next US President: Democratic Foreign Policy

Casey S Butterfield: reveals what to expect on foreign policy from the US presidential hopefuls for 2008. In this installment, Nuland introduces the top Democratic contenders and finds that all of them promise to get the US out of Iraq—it’s just a question of how.

July 4, 2007 | America's Suicidal Statecraft

Shlomo Ben-Ami: I analyze the consequences of US grand strategy in the Middle East. The regional balance of power has been so thoroughly altered that an Arab-Israeli settlement now looks increasingly possible.

February 5, 2010 | Iraq Inquiry Threatens Blair's Legacy

The results of Britain’s inquiry into the legitimacy of the Iraq War threatens to tarnish Tony Blair’s legacy. ++ Evidence suggests that Blair agreed to commit troops to Bush’s war “no matter what happened”. ++ Despite attempts to charm his interrogators and the British people, Blair is viewed as little more than George W. Bush’s lackey. ++ Further damaging

October 28, 2009 | Blair for EU President! A Chance for Justice?

This idea of Tony Blair as EU President is an idea abhorrent to many because of his role in launching an illegal war in Iraq and keeping Britain out of the Euro zone. ++ However, his appointment “could do more for world peace than any appointment since the second world war.” ++ It would place him in the spotlight and give courts the chance to prosecute for the illegal use of

September 14, 2009 | Iraq: The Withdrawal of the US to Decide the Future of the Country

In contrast to the events in Afghanistan, German media pays little attention to Iraq. The envisioned withdrawal of US troops by the end of 2011 will become a historical turning point with consequences for the entire region, Already, Iran is steadily expanding its sphere of influence and Turkey fears that the northern part of Iraq will turn into an asylum for Kurdish insurgents. A well managed

April 17, 2009 | Call for Commission into US Torture Decision

Forgiving agents who may have used torture techniques against detainees accused of terrorism was a wise move by President Obama. ++ The Administration yesterday said such acts could never again be condoned by the US. ++ A 9/11 style commission should be created to investigate who in the Bush Administration was responsible for the decision to use torture. ++ It has become clear that common sense

January 23, 2009 | Iraq: Test For President Obama's Pragmatism

US troops need to withdraw from Iraq, on that the US and Iraq are agreed. ++ The 16-month withdrawal timetable ought, however, to remain modifiable should military experts decide that conditions are likely to deteriorate. ++ In any event, current improvements in Iraq suggest that a quick withdrawal is not as urgent as before. ++ Obama ought therefore to use his much talked about pragmatism to

January 20, 2009 | Few Tears Shed Over Bush's Departure

Apart for the brief wave of popularity in the aftermath of 9/11, Bush has ended his mandate leaving Americans disaffected. ++ Among the numerous mistakes he made, one of the biggest was his unwillingness to open dialogue with political adversaries to forge durable consensus. ++ His “my-way-or-the-highway politics” was at the origin of much criticism, including his policy in Iraq. ++”It is

November 27, 2008 | Victory in Iraq but Not for Neoconservatives

Iraq’s deal with the US to end the occupation means the complete defeat of the neoconservative plan to turn Iraq into a pro-western ally. ++ Iraqis no longer see the US as the lesser threat to al-Qaeda and subsequently want US troops out. ++ “The deal gives Iraq’s national resistance almost everything it fought for” like veto over military actions and jurisdiction over troops who

November 7, 2008 | President Bush's Decency - No, Seriously

Election day must have been difficult for President Bush. ++ In 2006, Iraq was mired in a chaotic maelstrom of violence and terror. ++ Now, “victory” would probably look something like the current Iraq. ++ Nevertheless, Bush is a pariah of the very party he leads. ++ It’s a shame that Iraq has served as “a solar eclipse, blocking the light on every other

November 6, 2008 | America's New Global Image

Barack Obama’s election is a great first step to restore America’s image – but to maintain that image, real progress must be seen. ++ Despite the economic gloom, keeping his tax policy pledges will solidify domestic confidence in the president-elect. ++ The real work to be done, however, is international in its nature: “You matter to us. Your future is our future. And our

November 6, 2008 | War on Terror is Over

Obama must fulfill his promises of withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan and those of diplomacy with Iran. ++ He must close Guantánamo and declare the war on terror is over, realizing that terrorism is a technique, not an ideology. ++ Talks, not air strikes, should take place in Afghanistan. ++ Obama’s plan for “residual forces” in Iraq should be abandoned for a total

October 23, 2008 | The Dreams of Managing History

At Boston University, Andrew Bacevich railed against what Reinhold Niebuhr dubbed the “dreams of managing history” – the neocon rallying call that blends arrogance and narcissism and states that power is paramount. ++ Expansion worked for the US, for a time. ++ The Vietnam War, however, ended that. ++ Subsequently, “Further efforts at expansionism have led to the

October 20, 2008 | Banking Crisis Will Erode US Geopolitical Hegemony

It is clear that it was the free-market fundamentalism and reckless stewardship of the US government that led to the current financial crisis. ++ The US will pay a high price for its sins. ++ The bailout, which is likely to end up costing more than the Iraq war, will not only erode US financial hegemony, but undermine its geopolitical domination as well. ++ Financial troubles will prompt American

September 23, 2008 | Mission Impossible: Victory in Afghanistan

NATO is facing a wily and pitiless enemy in Afghanistan. ++ Taliban forces have reconstituted themselves into a formidable foe. ++ The transfer of nearly 5,000 troops from Iraq - where the situation is more dire than the Bush administration admits - to Afghanistan is “too few, too late, too slow.” ++ The British were unable to control Afghanistan in the 19th century, the Russians in

August 13, 2008 | US Withdrawal in Sight for Iraq

Baghdad and Washington have set a tentative time limit for the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq in 2010-2011. ++ Both sides agreed to uphold a “declaration of intent,” which was signed last year. ++ Tensions are high over the new election law, as voting is expected to redistribute power in Iraq’s provinces. ++ If the legislation is belated, it would mean postponing elections until next year. ++

August 1, 2008 | Iraq Has the Most Promising Future in the Region

There are many reasons to believe that Iraq is going to make it: violence is declining, US soldiers are turning province after province over to the Iraqi Security Forces, and planning withdrawals for 2009. ++ These developments should be acknowledged by the critics of the Iraq war, who underestimated the strategical importance of a constitutional Iraq. ++ Of course, a secure future for Iraq is

July 4, 2008 | Iraqis are Thankful for American Military Presence

Despite the West’s fear and loathing of America’s perceived overdrawn and poorly executed military initiatives in Iraq, the nation’s expats across the Middle East are singing a different, more optimistic tune. ++ Artists and businessmen alike are looking forward to the day they can return to their homes in hopes of a peaceful era. ++ However, according to many of them, this is

June 20, 2008 | It is Not Only Bush Who Was the Wrong Guy

Most people overlook that it was not one man alone who widened the gap between the two sides of the Atlantic, and that the bogeyman Bush often either approved or facilitated Europe’s own decisions. ++ The dramatic transformation of the United States has been more accompanied by Bush than promoted by him. ++ With or without Bush, transatlantic relations would necessarily have shaped America’s

June 20, 2008 | Obama Needs a New Strategy for Iraq

Obama should readjust his Iraq strategy like many other former opponents of the war did. ++ US will be remembered as much for how it got out of Iraq as for how it got in. ++ A precipitous withdrawal may give Iranians the chance to dominate Iraq. ++ Obama should acknowledge the need to stay tough there, even as he continues to claim credit for having been against the project. ++ Democrats may be

June 18, 2008 | Another Bad Deal for Baghdad

The parallels between the arrangement sought by Bush with the Iraq/US deal, and the defective British Iraq settlement in the 1930s, are striking. ++ The July 31st accord would free Iraq of UN sanctions and provide it with American economic and military aid. ++ 80 years ago, after Britain granted Iraq’s independence, it failed to maintain order and a wave of radical nationalist uprisings - “a

June 17, 2008 | US Deal Leads to Rising Resentment in Iraq

Iraq’s disparate ethnic groups are united in their opposition to the latest American political and military intentions for the country. ++ According to Bush’s plan, occupation of Iraq could be indefinite. ++ The president should leave the task of settling a deal with the Iraqi government to his successor and be content with an extension of the UN mandate, which is soon to expire. ++ His current

June 16, 2008 | Prime Minister Maliki's Misery

Al-Maliki wants good relations both with Iran and with the US but ongoing tensions between the two are putting him in a difficult position. ++ The Iraqi Prime Minister cannot afford to ruffle Iran’s feathers because of the large Shia majority in Iraq, which is loyal to Tehran, but Iraq also needs Western help. ++ The UN mandate for Iraq ends on December 31, 2008, and Iran has tried hard to

June 9, 2008 | Turkey's Geopolitical Importance for the West

For a long time Turkey has been a haven of geopolitical stability. ++ Yet the Iraq War has subjected Turkey’s virtually unquestioned alliance with the US to reassessment.++ Turkey’s general consensus on its EU candidacy has started crumbling because of the EU’s wavering.++ Turkey plays a crucial role in maintaining peace in the volatile Caucasus region and in promoting peace in the Middle East

June 3, 2008 | New Tipping Point in Iraq, but This Time it's Positive

US Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, who is known for cautious assessments, said terrorists in Iraq have “never been closer to defeat than they are now.” ++ The Iraqi government has gained control of Basra and Sadr City for the first time. ++ US analysts and politicians need to rethink their “this-war-is-lost” perception. ++ With a plan based on success, Obama might actually be able to carry out

May 27, 2008 | Candidates' Foreign Policy Differences are Rhetorical

The foreign policy discussion between McCain and Obama has helped portray the former as uncompromising and the latter as visionary. ++ Since US strategy in Iraq has required diplomats to negotiate with Shiite militiamen, Sunni insurgents or Iranian counterparts for years now, the candidates’ debate regarding their respective approach to negotiation is both unrealistic and hypocritical. ++ In any

May 5, 2008 | US Must Protect Lives of Iraqi Women

Since the US invasion of Iraq, the situation for women especially in the south of the country has worsened dramatically. ++ Tribal forces subdued under Saddam have been unleashed by the US occupation. ++ According to the UN, 133 women were killed in so-called “honor killings” in Basra last year for violating “Islamic teachings.” ++ The US and Iraqi governments must

May 5, 2008 | Iran's Role in Iraq: Complexity and Confusion

According to the US, Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism causing heavy casualties in Iraq. ++ Iranian Hussein Shariatmadari denies this with the claim Iran shares Iraq’s interest in ending US occupation and armed militias. ++ Though the discovery of Iranian weaponry in Iraq suggests Iran is arming Shiite militias, Iranian authorities maintain they would sell weaponry to any party. ++ US

April 25, 2008 | Reconciling US and Iraqi Narratives About the War

A recent poll showed that 70% of Iraqis believe US should leave because they are fuelling tensions. ++ Americans believe US should stay to curb sectarian violence and promote democracy. ++ Even Petraeus recognizes the solution is economic and political rather than military. ++ Breaching the gap of perception of the war requires a dialogue including Iraqi civil society, government, and religious

April 17, 2008 | Iran Could be a Partner of the US in Iraq

Contrary to the Bush administration’s claim last week, the main interest of Iran in Iraq is not to predicate on violence but to stabilize this country. ++ To prevent the possible future aggression from the Sunnites and to stop the agitation for Kurdish autonomy, Iran should not derange the unfolding democratic process. ++ To emerge as the leading power in the Gulf, Iran needs the withdrawal of US

April 9, 2008 | Local Truces Bring Political Progress to Iraq

A top-down model of political compromise is inapt to restore order and bring peace to Iraq’s tribal society. ++ But now, a balance of truces between hyperlocalized clans and councils is generating optimism, political progress, and a drop in ethno-sectarian violence. ++ If they hold, these networks will prevent terror and genocide, and encourage the US to help with reconstruction, peacekeeping,

March 17, 2008 | The 5th Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq

The Iraq war no longer raises much interest on behalf of the American and European people. ++ Raw US military presence compounded by a lack of regional policies and informed diplomacy with Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Israel has left the country in a stalemate. ++ The next American president will face two options: everlasting peacekeeping or a possible bloodbath at the time of withdrawal.

March 17, 2008 | US Decline is Bad for Japan

War in Iraq might decrease US ability to preserve peace in East Asia - a serious concern for Japan. ++ Japan relies on the Middle East for 90 percent of its oil - stability in the region is vital. ++ North Korea will never dismantle nuclear weapons without US influence. ++ Japan should maintain close relationship with US - decline in US power is not in Japan’s national interest.

March 11, 2008 | Adopting a Realistic Position Towards the US Ally

With power changing hands in the US, the time has come for Australia to reconsider its position towards the American leadership and acquire some confidence and self reliance. ++ Both ventures with the US in Vietnam and Iraq were disastrous, and placed Australia on the side of the politically defeated. ++ Australia need not systematically be a follower when it comes to matters of national security.

January 22, 2008 | The Surge: Few Answers, More Questions

Far from being the success which many have claimed it to be, the surge has actually accomplished very little according to Professor Andrew Bacevich of Boston University. Violence in Iraq has declined, but more because Sunni tribal leaders have been accommodated than because of additional US troops. Major problems with electricity and oil continue to persist and the surge’s only “undeniable

September 3, 2007 | UK Accepts Defeat in Iraq and Focuses on Terrorism

Officials in Washington are confused and disappointed at British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s decision to withdraw troops from Iraq and focus more on Afghanistan, reports Con Coughlin of the Daily Telegraph. Brown, who played a key role in the run-up to the Iraq invasion during Tony Blair’s term in office, is now refusing responsibility for the chaos in Iraq. Coughlin warns Brown and

June 13, 2007 | More Health, Less Talk: Horton Stresses Prioritizing Human Security in Foreign Policy

Editor Richard Horton defends the results of a Lancet study on the Iraqi death toll, offering recommendations for new policy implementation. The Lancet survey reported the number of Iraqi deaths as 250% higher than before the U.S. invasion.

Horton urges the international community to use the deteriorating security situation in Iraq as a call to reconfigure its foreign policy. Human security -

April 25, 2007 | Joseph Nye on Soft Power After Iraq

America has a “profound misunderstanding of the nature of power in world politics,” says Harvard professor Joseph S. Nye. Power is distributed at three levels: unipolar military relations among states, multipolar economic relations, and transnational issues outside the control of governments. The most urgent challenges faced by the US today, such as the Iraq war, global climate change, pandemics,