Brothers in Arms: Most U.S. soldiers are leaving Iraqi cities this month, but thousands will remain as advisors to Iraqi soldiers and police, separated by much but yoked together in a still-daunting mission.What Will an Iraq Withdrawal Look Like? -- Christopher Dickey, Newsweek
Military historian Martin van Creveld said back in 2005 that the American-led invasion of Iraq was "the most foolish war since the Emperor Augustus sent his legions into Germany in 9 B.C. and lost them." Except to correct the date (A.D. 9, in fact), the influential Israeli scholar says his opinion of the Iraq adventure hasn't changed. And as it starts to wind down, with a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces due inside the next 30 months, van Creveld's vision of the U.S. military's final days in Iraq is, well, pretty grim. "Several years ago I wrote an article in which I said the invasion would end exactly like Vietnam, with people hanging from the skids of helicopters," he told me over the phone this week. "I may have exaggerated a bit. But not much."
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COMMENTARIES, OPINIONS, AND EDITORIALS
Watch Out for an Iranian Backlash -- Joshua Gleis, Christian Science Monitor
Iran's Religious Cleansing -- J. K. Choksy & Nina Shea, National Review
Enabling Tehran's Nukes -- Washington Times editorial
Hezbollah Stalls Syrian-Saudi Detente -- Sami Moubayed, Asia Times
The CIA's 'Hit Team' Miss -- David Ignatius, Washington Post opinion.
Their Own Private Guantánamo -- Chisun Lee, New York Times opinion
Obama's Empty India Overtures -- Harsh Pant, Daily Times
Obama's Foreign Failures -- Peter Brookes, New York Post
Stop Worrying About Iran's Bomb -- Joe Klein, Time
China's Collapse: A Conversation With Gordan Chang -- Samuel Chi, RCW
Japan Turns Away From America -- David Pilling, Financial Times
Will Politics Save Japan's Economy? -- Nouriel Roubini, Forbes
A Nuclear Umbrella? No Thanks -- The National editorial