Strategic Assessment

Following its overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s regime, the United States set several goals in shaping Iraq and the regime that would govern there. The US sought to build a stable democratic state with a moderate government that would not be another base for terror or a regional threat, and would be a long term strategic partner. This essay examines the extent to which the United States has achieved these goals or stands to achieve them in the future. Much depends on the degree of intersectarian violence in Iraq, the performance of the local security forces, the success of the democratic institutions, the future of US-Iraqi ties, and Iranian intervention in Iraq. Although Israel is not a direct party to events in Iraq, the regional implications of the situation and the withdrawal of US forces are likely to have a negative effect on Israel’s interests.