Salvaging Something from the Wreckage

In light of the mid-term election results and the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, both Republicans and Democrats must re-evaluate their existing approaches to the region. Republicans must face the stinging rebuke they received from the electorate due in great part to the debacle in Iraq. Democrats, on the other hand, now face the challenge of coming up with some serious and viable alternative strategies of their own. Anatol Lieven, Senior Research Fellow at the New America Foundation and co-author with John Hulsman of the new book Ethical Realism: A Vision for America’s Role in the World, discussed how to address the most pressing issues facing US foreign policy in the Middle East, including a splintering Iraq, how to engage with Iran and Syria, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Lieven explored how the U.S. can begin a viable exit strategy from Iraq without abandoning the country to unconstrained civil war. Lieven’s central argument was that the U.S. must recognize the necessity of calling on Iraq’s neighbors for assistance. They have both the ability to rein in the groups fighting in Iraq, and a vital interest in preventing the conflict there from developing into a regional war. This will require reaching genuine compromises with both Iran and Syria, and a new approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A robust question and answer session followed, moderated by Steve Clemons. Video of this event is available at right, while an MP3 audio recording can be downloaded below.

Participants

• Anatol Lieven
  Senior Research Fellow, The New America Foundation.
  Co-author, Ethical Realism: A Vision for America’s Role in the World
• Steve Clemons
  Senior Fellow and Director, American Strategy Program, New America Foundation
  Publisher, www.TheWashingtonNote.com