National Defense University Paper Slams Administration

The National Defense University [NDU] says it “educates military and civilian leaders through teaching, research, and outreach in national security strategy, national military strategy, and national resource strategy; joint and multinational operations; information strategies, operations, and resource management; acquisition; and regional defense and security studies.” Last week, it issued a monograph that calls the war in Iraq-Nam “a major debacle.”

“Choosing War: The Decision to Invade Iraq and its Aftermath,” comes from the pen of Joseph J. Collins who has been Professor of National Security Strategy at the National War College since 2004. His bio notes that “in 1998, after nearly 28 years of military service, Dr. Collins retired from the US Army as a colonel. His many publications include books and articles on war in Afghanistan, Operation Desert Storm, military culture, defense transformation, homeland defense, and the way ahead in Iraq.” He is also the recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, its highest civilian award. In short, he’s the kind of person to whom the country needs to listen.

He beings the work with “Measured in blood and treasure, the war in Iraq has achieved the status of a major war and a major debacle.” Coming from a professional soldier, there is probably no bigger indictment of the administration. Bird colonels don’t use words like “debacle” casually. He also wrote, “For many analysts (including this one), Iraq remains a ‘must win,’ but for many others, despite the obvious progress under General David Petraeus and the surge, it now looks like a ‘can’t win’.”

The war’s political impact also has been great. Globally, US standing among friends and allies has fallen.2 Our status as a moral leader has been damaged by the war, the subsequent occupation of a Muslim nation, and various issues concerning the treatment of detainees. At the same time, operations in Iraq have had a negative impact on all other efforts in the war on terror, which must bow to the priority of Iraq when it comes to manpower, materiel, and the attention of decision makers. Our Armed Forces— especially the Army and Marine Corps—have been severely strained by the war in Iraq. Compounding all of these problems, our efforts there were designed to enhance US national security, but they have become, at least temporarily, an incubator for terrorism and have emboldened Iran to expand its influence throughout the Middle East.