Iraq and America: Choices and Consequences
July 01, 2006
America's engagement in Iraq will have profound consequences for US interests and American national security for the foreseeable future. The US-led invasion that deposed the regime of Saddam Hussein, the shifting priorities of the US occupation in attempting to restore security and establish a more representative government, and the reluctance of Iraq's neighbors and so much of the international community to become full partners in the endeavor will have lasting implications for Iraq, the region, international politics in general and US power and influence in particular. This volume of essays examines some of the consequences of US engagement in Iraq and considers choices for American policymakers that might contribute to more favorable outcomes in Iraq and beyond.
Chapter 1. Introduction
Authors: Ellen Laipson and Maureen S. Steinbruner
Chapter 2. Governance and National Unity
Author: Paul Pillar
Chapter 3. Setting Priorities: Security or Legitimacy in Iraq?
Author: Barbara Bodine
Chapter 4. US Economic and Reconstruction Assistance to Iraq: Principles for the Next Phase
Author: Robin Raphel
Chapter 5. The Desirability and Downsides of Withdrawal: The Effect of US Withdrawal on the Insurgency in Iraq
Author: David Edelstein
Chapter 6. Securing Iraq: The Way Ahead
Author: Michael Eisenstadt
Chapter 7. The Consequences of Iraq for US Influence and Power
Author: Avis Bohlen
Chapter 8. Multilateralism: Lessons from Iraq
Author: Daniel Poneman
Chapter 9. Imperatives For the International Community in Iraq
Author: Nancy Soderberg
Chapter 10. Putting Iraq in a Regional and Global Context
Author: Michael Kraig
Chapter 11. Iraq and America... and Iran: A Policy Conundrum
Author: Ellen Laipson
Chapter 12. Post-Combat Stabilization and Reconstruction: The Lessons for US Government Organization and National Security Resource Planning
Author: Gordon Adams
Chapter 13. Short Term Focus on Long Term Challenges: The Administration
Author: Denis McDonough
Appendix A
Preamble, Iraqi Constitution
Appendix B
Authors and Iraq Working Group Participants
Order Information
The book is now available in hard copy. To place an order, please contact us at (202) 223-5956. For credit card purchases, click on Order this Publication link to the right.
Journalists wishing to interview authors or to learn more about the project can contact Emile El-Hokayem at 202-478-3414 and ehokayem@stimson.org.
About the Project
The Henry L. Stimson Center, over the first half of 2006, convened a group of former policy practitioners and academics to reflect on ways to achieve more favorable outcomes in Iraq and to begin to assess the impact of America's engagement there for other US foreign policy and national security objectives. Many in the group had extensive experience in Iraq and in the Middle East, while others looked at the topic through a wider-angle lens.
This project was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Christopher Reynolds Foundation.
