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The Petraeus Report

Experts' Comment - September 2007

General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker have reported to the US Congress on the ongoing situation in Iraq. General Petraeus said that the recent 30,000 'surge' in troop numbers has cut sectarian violence and is showing some signs of success in quelling the insurgency.

Dr Robin Niblett, Director of Chatham House, Dr Gareth Stansfield, Associate Fellow, Middle East Programme, and Dr Rosemary Hollis, Director of Research offer three assessments of the impact of the Petraeus conclusions and their impact for the United States, Iraq and UK foreign policy in the Middle East.

Robin Niblett says that the risks for the future are that, first, the next US President will inherit an expensive stalemate in Iraq, in both financial and human terms; and, second, that US relations with Iran can only worsen through the transition from President Bush to his successor.' Read comment by Robin Niblett.

Gareth Stansfield says that the Petraeus report 'will do little to make the key Iraqi political players feel more secure about themselves, and each other. Sunnis, Shi'a, and Kurds will have to review their own positions and there could well be a period of chaotic fighting within these groupings as the new political landscape is formed'. Read comment by Gareth Stansfield.

Rosemary Hollis says that the Petraeus 'verdict on Iraq will enable British forces to regroup and concentrate on other priorities, including Afghanistan.....but Britian's reputation in the wider Middle East will still be coloured by the Iraq adventure and its consequences'. Read comment by Rosemary Hollis.

Please find a list of further resources below.

Members only content

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Briefing Papers and Report

Accepting Realities in Iraq
Gareth Stansfield, Chatham House Briefing Paper, July 07

Iran, its Neighbours and the Regional Crises
Chatham House Report, August 06

Iraq in Transition: Vortex or Catalyst?
Chatham House Briefing Paper, September 04

Iraq: The Regional Fallout
Chatham House Briefing Paper, February 03

Articles

The following articles are taken from Chatham House's monthly magazine The World Today and our bi-monthly journal International Affairs.

Middle East: Divide and Rule?
Amin Saikal, The World Today, July 07

UN and the Middle East: Heavy Burden
Ian Williams, The World Today, July 07

Middle East: Turning to Tehran
Rosemary Hollis, The World Today, July 07

Members only contentChoosing between America and Europe: a new context for British foreign policy Robin Niblett, International Affairs, July 07

Iraq: 'Iraq is dead'
Gareth Stansfield, The World Today, June 07

Identity and Islam: the battle of ideas
Maha Azzam, The World Today, May 07

Identity and democracy: The way we are
Jack Straw, The World Today, May 07

Iraq: Civil war on the internet
Paul Eedle, The World Today, March 07

Beyond the point of no return
Gareth Stansfield, The World Today, January 07

Meeting Transcripts

Members only contentThe New Diplomacy: Challenges for British Foreign Policy
The Rt Hon David Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Chatham House, 19 July 2007

Members only contentWhy the UN Matters Today
HE Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations (2007-present), Chatham House, 11 July 2007

Members only contentPossible Scenarios for the Future of Iraq
Alastair Campbell, Defence Attaché, UK Embassy, Baghdad (2004-07); Dr Gareth Stansfield, Associate Professor, University of Exeter and Associate Fellow, Chatham House, 16 May 2007

Members only contentMeeting the Terrorist Challenge
The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Chatham House, 10 October 2006

Chatham House Library

Selected reading list and bibliography of Iraq-related material

Chatham House Middle East Programme

Read a list of current projects being undertaken by the Middle East Programme.

Chatham House experts

Details of Chatham House experts.