In The Media
Jessica Tuchman Mathews
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Source: Getty
Other
The Surge Has Failed in its Objective
By tacitly conceding that there has been no political progress in Iraq since the launch of the surge, Mr. Bush admits it has failed, but asks for more time. He raises some important fears of the consequences of withdrawal (and some wildly exaggerated ones), while saying nothing about the positive reasons to keep on trying. That is what the upcoming debate must address: more time to achieve what?
Published on Sep 11, 2007
Source: Carnegie Endowment
The purpose of the surge was an enlarged security force so that, as the president said, over time, “daily life will improve, Iraqis will gain confidence in their leaders, and the government will have the breathing space it needs to make progress.” That progress was to include a raft of fundamental political changes. Al Qaeda was a relatively minor factor. (“As we make these changes, we will continue to pursue al Qaeda.… Al Qaeda is still active in Iraq.”) Until midsummer, the administration insisted that the escalated military effort was not to reduce violence per se, but to reduce it because political reconciliation would follow.
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About the Author
Jessican Tuchman Mathews was appointed president of the Carnegie Endowment in 1997. Her career includes posts in the executive and legislative branches of government, in management and research in the nonprofit arena, and in journalism.
About the Author
Jessica Tuchman Mathews
Distinguished Fellow
Mathews is a distinguished fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She served as Carnegie’s president for 18 years.
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Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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