by Kingston Reif Published on Iraq Insider blog on June 25, 2008 On June 21, 2008, Multi-National Force-Iraq Commander General David Petraeus unveiled a crisp, three-page document containing counterinsurgency (COIN) guidance for U.S. troops in Iraq. By now, the concepts contained in the document – secure and serve the population, live among the people, and […]
GAO Says Bush Administration is Overstating Gains in Iraq
By Meghan Warren On June 24, 2008, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its latest assessment of the U.S. military “surge” in Iraq. GAO concludes that the Bush administration has overstated gains in Iraq. The report finds that while violence has dropped substantially, the Iraqi government has failed to reclaim control of its own country. […]
Beyond the Headlines: The U.S.-Iraq Security Agreement, Permanent Bases, and Fourth-Generation Warfare
On June 9, a senior U.S. official working on the proposed U.S.-Iraq long-term agreement admitted that it is “very possible” that in the face of Iraqi opposition, the agreement may fall through, forcing Iraq to extend the U.N. mandate that the pact was meant to replace later this year. State Department adviser David Satterfield […]
Building Human Security: Peacekeepers, Not Long-Term Pact, Should Replace U.N. Mandate in Iraq
By Michele Zilka On April 6, 2008, the latest National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iraq cited significant security improvements and overall progress toward unifying Iraq’s sectarian groups. The contents of the NIE, although classified, were reported in the New York Times, which called the assessment “upbeat” despite the fragility of the security situation in Iraq […]
Analysis of House May 2008 Iraq-Afghanistan Supplemental War Funding Package
by Travis Sharp May 16 UPDATE: On May 15, the House passed amendments #2 and #3 but failed to pass amendment #1, which would provide $162.6 billion in DOD funding for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. That funding is expected to be added to the supplemental by the Senate, which is slated to […]
