October 14th, 2008 by Tariq

Marc Lynch responds to Stephen Biddle, Michael O’Hanlon, and Kenneth Pollack in the forthcoming issue of Foreign Affairs.  In the previous issue, Biddle, O’Hanlon, and Pollack argue that the U.S. should refrain from withdrawing a significant number of troops in Iraq until progress is consolidated. Lynch, however, argues that their approach would have disastrous effects.

“The problem lies in the fundamentally flawed belief that providing more security is the key to achieving political compromise. Restoring basic levels of security from the low point of 2006 was indeed essential. But now, contrary to what the authors argue, improved security is making the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki less likely to make meaningful compromises, since Maliki currently sees little downside to not doing so. The Iraqi government simply does not share American assessments of the negative consequences that would result from failing to achieve reconciliation. And as long as the U.S. military protects Iraqi leaders from the consequences of their choices, they are probably correct.”

Posted in Iraq, US foreign policy |