Regional Spillover Effects of the Iraq War

<p>The Iraq war has been one of the dominant factors influencing U.S. strategic thinking in the Middle East and globally since 2003. Yet the problems of this highly dynamic and fluid war have sometimes forced U.S. policymakers to address near-term issues that cannot be safely postponed at the expense of long-term strategic thought. Such a technique while understandable cannot continue indefinitely as an approach to policy. Long-term planning remains vital for advancing regionwide U.S. and Iraqi interests following a U.S. drawdown from Iraq. Such planning must include dealing with current and potential spillover from the Iraq war. <br><br>Regional spillover problems associated with the Iraq war need to be considered and addressed even in the event of strong future success in building the new Iraq. In less optimistic scenarios these issues will become even more important. Spillover issues addressed herein include: (1) the flow of refugees and displaced persons from Iraq (2) cross-border terrorism (3) the potential intensification of separatism and sectarian discord among Iraq's neighbors and (4) transnational crime. All of these problems will be exceptionally important in the Middle East in the coming years and perhaps decades and trends involving these issues will need to be closely monitored. The author presents ideas concerns and strategies that can help to fill this gap in the literature and enrich the debate on the actual and potential spillover effects of the Iraq war that will face U.S. policymakers possibly for decades. Of these problems he clearly is especially concerned with the spread of sectarian divisions which if not properly managed can have devastating regional consequences. This monograph forms an important baseline useful for considering future trends in each of the areas that the author has identified.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>