Publication

Iraq is descending into chaos and is at risk of becoming a failed state. The US debate on how to proceed is marked by a sense of gloom. If Iraq is to avoid a headfirst plunge into a civil war that could destabilize large parts of the Middle East, Washington has little choice but to change its strategy and, above all, regionalize the search for a political solution. Yet, while this diplomatic option figures prominently in the report of the Baker Commission, it confronts the Bush administration with difficult choices regarding its future course on Iran and Syria. If the West wants to avoid a noticeable loss of influence in the region, Europe must also become engaged more forcefully in the search for peace.