Iraq | Charles Duelfer | Page 4

Category Archives: Iraq

Video Driven Policy vs. Strategy

The need for a strategy on ISIS was provoked by the videos of Americans being barbarically executed. A year ago, there was horrible video of Sarin use against civilians in Syria. That provoked action by the White House.   In both … Continue reading

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ISIS – Next Steps

The President is now stuck with the ISIS problem. It is his, not former President Bush’s. The rest of his term may be defined by how he deals with ISIS, in some ways as Bush was defined by how he … Continue reading

Posted in Intelligence, Iran, Iraq, ISIL, ISIS, Russia, Sunni, Terrorism | Leave a comment

Don’t Trade Iraq for an Iran Nuclear “Agreement”

There will come a time, and that may be right now, when Washington has to decide if any deal on Iran nuclear programs is more important than the risk faced from ISIS in Iraq. So far it looks like we … Continue reading

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Extremists at Former Saddam CW Facility

The Wall Street Journal reports ISIL extremists at a former Iraqi CW facility.  The Muthana State Establishment was a huge facility where the Saddam government produced tons of anthrax and sarin.  Most of it used against the Iranians in the … Continue reading

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Give the Sunnis an Alternative NOW!

Unless President Obama says something fast to give secular Sunnis some hope that the US will take their interests seriously this time, they have no alternative to ISIS. Say something to the Sunnis!  Give them an alternative!  And it has … Continue reading

Posted in Intelligence, Iran, Iraq, ISIS, Sunni, United Nations | 1 Comment

Iraq – So What to Do?

A possible path ahead is to take advantage of the post election negotiations and configure a leadership that accommodates Sunni interests. This would by necessity mean someone other than Maliki becoming Prime Minister. Someone (possibly an American, but I doubt … Continue reading

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Maliki is the problem, not the solution

Prime Minister Maliki, who is in midst of negotiating a government in aftermath of the recent Iraqi elections, has asked for US support including airstrikes. The last thing we should do now is further imbed ourselves with Maliki. This is … Continue reading

Posted in Financial Wars, Iran, Iraq, United Nations | Leave a comment

Cascading Chaos in Iraq

Watching the disintegration of Iraq is a horror. Many predicted this. There were Iraqis reaching out to the US and others pointing out that there were large numbers of Iraqis who, if continually cut off from a role in the … Continue reading

Posted in Iran, Iraq, United Nations | 2 Comments

Syrian CW – The Next Stage

OPCW head Mehmet Uzumcu announced today that the initial removal of some chemicals from Syria had taken place today.  Chemicals in their specially designed and built containers were loaded onto the Danish ship Ark Futura at the port of Latakia.  … Continue reading

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The Iran Nuclear Deal

    It is difficult to be categorical when judging this agreement. Much depends upon huge uncertainties that will play out over years or decades.  American politicians are condemned to focus on near-term costs and consequences.  Our system tends to … Continue reading

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