The Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Anthony Cordesman has penned a new analysis of the American experience in Iraq, titled “American Strategic, Tactical, and Other Mistakes in Iraq: A Litany of Errors.” Examining planning before, during, and after the initiation of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, Cordesman claims that a “litany of errors” has been committed along the way and that if it wants to succeed in Iraq, it needs to deal with what went wrong without playing the “blame game.” For starters, Cordesman says that the Office of the Secretary of Defense put “intense pressure” on the military for the lowest possible level of military deployment. After the invasion, errors arose from failures to properly assess tribal affiliations, diplomatic back channels, and over-reliance on exile groups that had limited credibility. In order to succeed at this point, Cordesman says, the US needs “ruthless self honesty and objectivity” in crafting strategies and directing resources.
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
