There Are No Good Answers in the Middle East

Or North Korea for that matter. Why foreign policy should humble us all.

By
10

The United States rings in the New Year with two foreign policy challenges that demonstrate once again that dealing with rogue regimes is hard, that the American people ask their leaders to pursue often irreconcilable goals, and that each new American administration has to relearn old truths. Today’s French Press:

  1. Making sense of events in Iraq

  1. Making sense of events in North Korea

Iraq: The more you know, the worse you feel.

Keep reading with a free account
Create a free Dispatch account to keep reading Get Started ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT? SIGN IN
10
By
Comments (10)
Join The Dispatch to participate in the comments.
 
  1. Avatar photo
    Bruce Mamont

    I hope David noticed that “Occupied” Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix. It’s a great dramatic illustration of the “evil allows virtue few good options” principle discussed in this piece.

    Those of us who were required to pass algebra in high school and college were taught to solve for zero. As David points out in his piece, there are too many conflicting requirements for them all to be satisfied. A best, which isn't to say good, outcome should be sought, but it either must sacrifice other objectives or risk significant costs. Defining the "best" outcome is strategically tough: do we strive for the outcome that is the lowest risk of the worst scenario at an affordable cost? Do we attempt the most favorable outcome that has higher risks and costs?

    I'm also hoping David can find time to comment on yesterday's strike against Soleimani et al. Graveyards are full of indispensable men. Will Soleimani's demise, although well deserved, favorably change the strategic or operational picture, trigger a short-term escalation, or...?

    Collapse
  2. Avatar photo
    Kevin Durant?

    There are no good answers in the Middle East, but folding in the face of Iranian pressure would be the worst answer of all.”

    ——————————-

    Agree with David 100% on this one.

    The ‘no good options’ 2016ish nature of the Middle East appears to be a permanent feature

    However I’m not sure I understand the logic behind ‘YES on partnering with Saudi Arabia to check Iran’ and ‘NO on partnering with Trump to check socialists’

    I think it’s fair to say that Muhammad Bone Sawlman is marginally worse than Trump and I’m sure the MBS version of Stormy Daniels would melt your face

    It’s clear everybody has this lesser evils play in their playbook and I guess no amount of explaining will make me understand why so many people drew an orange line in the sand

    I get the ‘long term damage to Republicans’ argument except that leads you directly down the Romney (L) McCain (L) pathway where your insistence on dignity merely buys you a seat at the kids table where you can watch as Dad carves up the Constitution

    More importantly, as a devoted fan of baseball who really only watches NBA during the playoffs.....

    Basketball > Baseball

    Collapse
  3. Avatar photo
    Rob W

    I love the Kick Six, but this is the best sports moment of the century, let alone the decade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOp8w2PgHlM

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      David French

      A worthy contender, but all other things being equal basketball > baseball.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Rob W

        Let's agree to disagree. Thanks for all you do to inform and raise the level of discourse. I hope 2020 is a fantastic year for you, Nancy and your family!

        Collapse
        1. Avatar photo
          David French

          Thank you Rob!

          Collapse
  4. Avatar photo
    Isaac P

    C’mon, David. This is a better moment in many languages.

    https://youtu.be/j1_RzfIUVFs

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      David French

      Fake news! Auburn highlights > Alabama highlights.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Isaac P

        Rarity is not a proxy for quality.

        Collapse
  5. Avatar photo
    Todd Baker

    "And the Obama administration’s withdrawal from Iraq was perhaps its worst (and most consequential) foreign policy mistake of his two terms in office. "

    I think you would be on very solid ground to simply delete the word "perhaps". The Obama administration's decision to back Maliki over Allawi in 2010 was almost as criminal as it was ignorant. In a stroke, we spent all the capital we had gained since the Sunni awakening started in 2006. You can draw a straight line between the growth of Iranian influence in the greater middle-east and the clown show that is Syria right back to the fateful decision in the summer of 2010.

    Collapse