Anthony Cordesman

Anthony Cordesman
Anthony H. Cordesmanholds the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studiesand is a national security analyst on a number of global conflicts...
leaders
We don't know how many leaders there are, how many experienced cadres there are, how many replacements there are.
allies america defeat easy face jaws problems risks
America and its allies face many risks and problems in Iraq, but it is all too easy to snatch defeat from the jaws of uncertainty.
begun care focus gives impression realize
They have begun to realize that when you focus only on the U.S. it gives the impression that the U.S. doesn't care about Iraqis.
bombs charges destroy develop firing insurgents lightly methods mines rounds several shaped stacked using watching
You're watching the insurgents develop more sophisticated methods of attack, and more sophisticated IEDs. They're using shaped charges and anti-tank mines stacked together. They're using 500-pound bombs that can destroy any armored vehicle. They're using these so-called swarming attacks, firing several RPG rounds at one lightly armored vehicle.
central government limits matter
The Yemeni central government has done what it can, but it is very weak. It is not a matter of the government not trying. But there are limits to it can do.
allow capable iraq leading minister prime question step unity
This is the first step to allow Iraq to have a unity government, but it's only a first step. The question is, will the new prime minister be capable of leading the country?
breed further needs nonsense soon stop
The (United States) needs to stop issuing such nonsense as soon as possible. They have so little credibility that they can breed nothing but further distrust.
country defy nuclear stay strengthen treaty
Having a country stay in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty that effectively is proceeding to defy it doesn't necessarily strengthen the treaty.
himself military sees studied tactics
He has studied military tactics and counterinsurgency operations, but I don't think this is someone who sees himself as a commander. This is someone who sees himself as a stimulator.
achieve mean potential states technical
That doesn't mean the potential should be minimized. We know these states can achieve technical surprise.
easier far force iraq might military opponent serious strengths
Iraq might be a far easier opponent than its force strengths indicate. But it also is potentially a very serious military opponent indeed,
collapse far impact iraq pull quickly reasonable serious situation troops
If you pull troops out too quickly now, and you see the situation in Iraq collapse before the midterm elections, the impact is going to be far more serious than if you keep the troops in at reasonable levels.
collapse far impact iraq pull quickly reasonable serious situation troops
If you pull out troops too quickly now, and you see the situation in Iraq collapse before the midterm elections, the impact is going to be far more serious than if you keep the troops in at reasonable levels.
battle cannot desirable eliminate fighting fights-and-fighting forces iraqi key measure space
How much of the battle space can the Iraqi forces take over, and who is actually doing the fighting - those are the key measurements. The measure cannot be the elimination of the insurgency, as desirable as that would be. You cannot eliminate all of the bombings.