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In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

07/24/08
Strategy and Leadership Needed  —Lt. Gen. (Ret.) David W. Barno, U.S. Army; commander, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan (2003-2005); director, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, Natl Defense University. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.
07/22/08
What the U.S. Should Do  —Andrew Exum, former Army captain, led U.S. Army Rangers in Iraq and Afghanistan; Ph.D student, War Studies, King's College London. Original Commentary for Middle East Bulletin.
07/08/08
Planning the Transition  —Ghaith al-Omari, director of advocacy, American Task Force on Palestine; former foreign policy adviser to Palestinian President Abbas. Original Commentary for Middle East Bulletin.

Setting the Record Straight

Neglecting Afghanistan

“[W]e're fighting two wars at once, three wars at once. We're fighting the global war on terror, we're fighting a war in Iraq, and we're fighting a war in Afghanistan. There are multiple demands on our forces. That's the reality of life at this point. The focus of our efforts clearly has been in Iraq, the battleground which Osama bin Laden identified as the central front in their war against us, the place in which they sought to set up a foothold for their caliphate that would reach into Europe.”
—Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell, DoD News Briefing, July 23, 2008  versus
  • “The most dangerous area of the world … representing the most significant U.S. national security threat … is not Iraq but the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. … [W]e still lack relevant, long-term strategies to achieve sustainable security and stability in both Iraq and Afghanistan.”
    —Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), speech, Brookings Institution, June 26, 2008
  • Middle East Analysis

    December 5, 2007

    What: The Center for American Progress and the Heinrich Boell Foundation invite you to join us for a conference addressing Iraq’s displacement crisis, the international responses, and the prospects for improving the situation. The panelists will offer their insights on the current challenge and examine the moral and security implications of the crisis, share strategies, and identify programming and policy options.

    Who: Keynote remarks from Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). Panelists include representatives of the U.S. government and non-governmental organizations.

    When: Thursday, December 6, 2007; 9:00 am - 2:30 pm

    Where: 1333 H ST, NW, 10th floor, Washington, DC, 20005

    More information

    Click here to RSVP