Good Advice on Iraq

Research Summary

q       Amidst severe criticisms faced by the report submitted by the Iraq Study Team in December 2006, the article tries to highlight the various merits of the report, encouraging an objective appraisal of it.

q       Summarizing the 79 recommendations of the report, the author identifies three key tasks in the region namely controlling the violence and increasing stability and security, helping the Iraqi government reach its self-declared mile-stones, and designing a comprehensive strategy to build international support for Iraq’s stability.

q       The report needs to be commended for identifying the complexity of the situation in Iraq and stating that it is critically essential that the Iraqi government and people accept responsibility for their future.

q       The report rightly points out that the U.S. and the other countries involved in the coalition supporting Iraq have the responsibility to help the Iraqi government establish security and stability, control violence, improve people’s lives, and enable Iraqis to pursue a better future.

q       The author stresses that it is highly essential to implement the essentials of the report to give a deathblow to terrorism, increase the prospect for regional and global stability, and protect America’s credibility, interests, and values.

q       In addition, the author highlights the caution pronounced by the report that the failure in case of Iraq could trigger a collapse of Iraq’s government, a humanitarian catastrophe, a chaotic situation in the region, a propaganda victory for terrorists, and an increase in global instability.

q       The author draws attention to certain critical recommendations of the report including equipping and training Iraq’s army and police, and the most important milestones with respect to certain critical issues.

q       Though a controversial issue in the report, the author brings out the importance of the policy suggested towards Iran and Syria reinstating the appropriate stand maintained by the report.

q       The author strongly opines that though it was not accepted widely, virtually all of the Bush national security team’s Iraq plans are consistent with the ISG recommendations.

q       As a final remark, the author observes that though no plan for Iraq can claim to be perfect, the report of the Iraq Study Group can objectively point towards prospects for a new way forward.

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