Surge architect: There is no U.S. occupation in Iraq

In an enlightening debate this week on PBS’s NewsHour, AEI scholar and "surge" advocate Frederick Kagan made a curious assertion about the U.S. troop presence in Iraq: The American presence in Iraq is not an occupation. We are there by power of the U.N. Security Council. I say "curious" for two reasons. One, Kagan may ...

In an enlightening debate this week on PBS's NewsHour, AEI scholar and "surge" advocate Frederick Kagan made a curious assertion about the U.S. troop presence in Iraq:

In an enlightening debate this week on PBS’s NewsHour, AEI scholar and "surge" advocate Frederick Kagan made a curious assertion about the U.S. troop presence in Iraq:

The American presence in Iraq is not an occupation. We are there by power of the U.N. Security Council.

I say "curious" for two reasons. One, Kagan may be right in legal terms, but let’s not kid ourselves here. It’s an occupation, and that’s how most Iraqis see it. Two, since when do AEI scholars cite the "power of the U.N. Security Council" so readily?

As for the rest of the debate, I would urge Passport readers to check it out. Both Kagan and his interlocutor, journalist Nir Rosen, have some good points to make about the success of the surge. I would note that Gen. David Petraeus is a lot more cautious than Kagan is about the political progress the Iraqi government is making. Kagan thinks there’s been "remarkable political progress." But  Petraeus told the Washington Post Thursday, "[N]o one [in the U.S. or Iraqi government]… feels that there has been sufficient progress by any means in the area of national reconciliation."

(Hat tip: Steve Clemons)

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