by Kingston Reif by Travis Sharp Download these questions in PDF format. QUESTIONS FOR GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS 1. PETRAEUS: General, you told Fox News in 2007 that “Historically, counterinsurgency operations have gone at least nine or 10 years.” According to that timeline, how far along are we right now in Iraq? Are we half way […]
Lieutenant General Robert Gard Sets the Record Straight on the Surge
by Robert G. Gard Transcript of remarks delivered on April 1, 2008 When President George W. Bush announced in January 2007 that the United States would “surge” 30,000 additional soldiers into Iraq, he said that the expected security gains would give Iraqis “confidence in their leaders” and provide the Iraqi government with “the breathing space […]
Problems with Using the Supplemental Budget Process to Fund Ongoing Military Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
by Travis Sharp Download a PDF version of this analysis. Colleen Garcia provided research assistance for this report. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY It takes more than two years for the White House to develop, and Congress to approve, a budget for each new fiscal year. Since natural disasters and other emergencies, including the deployment of U.S. military […]
Why Congress Should Press the Case for No Permanent Presence in Iraq
by Kingston Reif BACKGROUND On November 26, 2007, President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki signed a non-binding “Declaration of Principles for a Long-Term Relationship of Cooperation and Friendship with Iraq.” Included in the draft declaration were “security assurances and commitments to the Republic of Iraq to deter foreign aggression” and promises to defend […]
Amid Promising Signs in Iraq, DC Battles Loom
by Travis Sharp Published on Iraq Slogger on February 14, 2008 In the early months of 2008, the Washington debate over what to do next in Iraq has revolved around two important issues: post-“surge” troop levels and a long-term security pact between the United States and Iraq. Both issues have significant political implications, especially […]
