One dire prognostication that might come true: The fall of Mosul and the advance of ISIS””the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an al-Qaida offshoot””toward Baghdad last week prompted headlines warning that Islamist militants aim to redraw the map … Continue reading →
That headline of mine was a trick. No, George Bush hasn’t commented on present events in Iraq, probably because he doesn’t believe it helpful for ex-presidents to criticize their successors. But he already described the whole thing back in 2007, … Continue reading →
—abhors a vacuum. And so Iran rushes in where Obama fears to tread: U.S. and senior Iraqi officials tell The Daily Beast that Iran is now offering the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki its army, its spies and highly … Continue reading →
…who predicted the whole trajectory of post-occupation Iraq back in December of 2011 when the SOFA deal fell through. Rick Francona gets to say “I told you so,” although I doubt that gives him much satisfaction at this point. No, … Continue reading →
Back in January, ISIS issued this threat to Iraq and to the US: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), issued a rare audio message back on January 21 in which he flatly … Continue reading →
Austin Bay has a good piece on Iraq up at PJ. Also see this in National Review: We had gained, at a frightful cost in lives and treasure, a priceless strategic asset, namely the possibility of Iraq as a strong … Continue reading →
…I offer this. Do the Iraqi people deserve this, just because they failed to get along together and turn into a well-functioning democratic state in a decade (less than that, actually, before we pulled out)? Remember also that not all … Continue reading →
Anyone watching recent events in Iraq who wants a refresher course on the end of the Vietnam War and our withdrawal from that area would do well to take a look at this article. Here’s one of the most poignant … Continue reading →
To refresh your memory, this is how it went down in Iraq in 2011: The U.S. had tried to extend the presence of our troops past Dec. 31 [2011]. Why did we fail? The popular explanation is that the Iraqis … Continue reading →
As one would expect, some of the hardest hit Americans are those who spent time fighting in Iraq: “Going out across the desert I remember the feelings that you have, wondering if you’re going to make it out alive,” Rep. … Continue reading →
I started this blog right before the 2004 election, and for the first few years a large percentage of my posts were about Iraq. That remained true through all the ups and downs of the surge and the Bush administration. … Continue reading →
Read it, but have a good stiff drink by your side. And lock up all sharp objects. Because if you’re not already profoundly depressed, his essay will depress you. I can’t quarrel with what he writes; it’s what I would … Continue reading →