Leaving Iraq: What Comes Next?

Gregg Carlstrom, Michael Wahid Hanna, Liam Anderson, J. Edward Conway | World Politics Review | 2010-05-05

Seven years after the U.S. invasion, and with President Barack Obama holding to his troop withdrawal timeline, fundamental questions still remain about Iraq's future. Will the security vacuum following the U.S. withdrawal be filled by growing stability and integration, or renewed violence and division? What are the prospects for resolving tensions between Arabs and Kurds? What impact will Iraq have on the region, and what role will its neighbors play in Iraq? And what are the chances of departing American troops being confronted with a Shiite "last hurrah"? In other words, what will we leave behind when we leave Iraq?

Leaving Iraq: Debating Obama's Withdrawal Timeline

By Gregg Carlstrom 04 May 2010
In dozens of statements, interviews and news conferences since taking office, President Barack Obama has been adamant about sticking to his withdrawal timetable in Iraq. Ending the war was one of his most often-repeated campaign promises, and public opinion continues to weigh in strongly against delaying the withdrawal. And yet, the prospect of doing just that continues to be a hot topic in Washington.

Iraq's Kurdish Problem

By Liam Anderson 04 May 2010
Over the space of the next 5-10 years, Iraq's political leaders must grapple with a series of contentious issues that cut to the core of the design of the Iraqi state. Many of these divisive issues are intertwined, and relate in one way or another to the current and future status of the Kurds in Iraq. The "big picture" question facing Iraq is whether the Kurds can be comfortably accommodated within the new political order and, if so, how.

Iraq and the Post-War Regional Outlook

By Michael Wahid Hanna 04 May 2010
As Iraq's political leaders crisscrossed the region holding meetings in various neighboring capitals in the run-up to and aftermath of the March 7 parliamentary elections, they underscored a stark reality: Iraq's future is not solely in its own hands, and due to its weakness, the country's future course will be shaped by both the actions and interference of its neighbors. Less clear is Iraq's contribution to the region's future.

Qais al-Khazali: A Shiite Insurgency 'Last Hurrah' in Iraq?

By J. Edward Conway 04 May 2010
When President Barack Obama first announced his plan in early 2009 for withdrawal from Iraq, it initiated a debate within U.S. national security circles: Would Shiite insurgents operating in the country stage a final attack on U.S. troops as they withdrew? The concerns of U.S. policymakers and counterinsurgency analysts were not unfounded. They needed to look no further than Lebanon to find historical examples of Shiite-led offensives aimed at claiming responsibility for pushing out a foreign occupier.

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