The Eliminators, Joseph Cirincione and Alexandra Bell After the Surge: U.S. Army Chief of Staff Casey Is Right to Be Worried, Lawrence Korb and Brian Katulis The Real Benazir, Brian Katulis Fighting Terror Without Pakistan, Brian Katulis Capturing Osama, Brian Katulis See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Brian Katulis Ask the Experts: The Death of a Doctrine, Joseph Cirincione Closing Guantanamo Bay, Spencer Boyer Readiness of Iraqi Forces, Lawrence Korb Army Recruiting Woes, Lawrence Korb Updating Wiretap Legislation, P.J. Crowley and Mark Agrast Joseph Cirincione and Alexandra Bell, "The Eliminators," Center for American Progress, January 17, 2008 An overwhelming majority of former top national security officials are now arguing for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. It may take a while to get there, they say, but seven former secretaries of state, seven former national security advisors, and five former secretaries of defense have endorsed freeing the world of nuclear weapons, as well as progressive steps to realize this vision. They represent almost 70 percent of the men and women still living who have served in these top posts and are not currently serving in the administration. Click here to read the full article. Lawrence Korb and Brian Katulis, "After the Surge: U.S. Army Chief of Staff Casey Is Right to Be Worried," Center for American Progress, January 17, 2008 President Bush’s “surge” strategy in Iraq—now into its second year—was supposed to be temporary. In fact, the president and many of his advisors said it would last only six months. Problem is, the president’s own military leaders know that it is not that simple. Just ask Army Chief of Staff George Casey. Click here to read the full article. Brian Katulis, "The Real Benazir?" Los Angeles Times Debate, January 16, 2008 Benazir Bhutto's murder last month was the end of a remarkable life of a leader with a complicated historical legacy. In many ways, her life shaped as well as mirrored much of Pakistan's trajectory over the past three decades — and how the leaders and people of Pakistan respond to her death in the coming weeks and beyond will shape whether Pakistan heads down the path of greater stability or greater turmoil. Click here to read the full article. Brian Katulis, "Fighting Terror Without Pakistan," Los Angeles Times Debate, January 17, 2008 Right now in Pakistan, we have the worst of both worlds — a government headed by an undemocratic, authoritarian leader and an escalating terrorism problem in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan. Ironically, President Bush doesn't seem to have confidence in his own central national security proposition — that freedom and democracy would defeat terrorism. Pakistan, the country that has likely served as haven for top Al Qaeda leaders for the past six years, is one on a long list of exceptions in President Bush's freedom agenda. If Bush's so-called freedom agenda actually meant anything, one might think it would be applied in the places where it counts. Click here to read the full article. Brian Katulis, "Capturing Osama," Los Angeles Times Debate, January 18, 2008 Barack Obama was right: The United States should be prepared to do what it takes to capture key Al Qaeda figures such as Osama bin Laden. For far too long, these figures have been on the loose — it is a national embarrassment every time the leaders of an organization responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans taunt the United States in tapes released to the media. Click here to read the full article. Brian Katulis, "See No Evil, Hear No Evil," The Guardian, January 22, 2008 Jonathan Steele's new book, Defeat: Why They Lost Iraq, is a cautionary tale outlining the dangers of outsiders deluding themselves into seeing only what they want to see in Iraq. Its publication couldn't have come at a better moment, since foreign policy and media elites in the United States are now slipping back into ignoring Iraq's complicated realities and promoting simplistic narratives like "the surge has worked" and "we're winning". In many ways, today's story lines are just as disconnected from facts on the ground as the Iraq debate was prior to the start of the war in 2003 - and the dangers of leaving the conventional wisdom unquestioned are as great today as they were then. Click here to read the full article. Joseph Cirincione, "Ask the Experts: The Death of a Doctrine," Center for American Progress, January 16, 2008 With the new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran and the crisis in Pakistan, Joseph Cirincione discusses what should we expect from the Bush administration in 2008. "The Bush administration’s strategy towards Iran. In fact its entire nonproliferation policy is in crisis. 2008 may go down as the year the Bush doctrine died. Two events in recent months have crippled this doctrine, and I think, killed it.” Click here to watch the video. FOX News - Spencer Boyer discusses the calling by Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, to close Guantanamo. “I think Admiral Mullen has it exactly right. Guantanamo has become a huge liability for the United States and when you look at the meager benefits we get from keeping it open versus the huge problems that are being caused to America’s reputation and status around the world, there’s no contest. Guantanamo needs to be shut down … Guantanamo has become a symbol of hypocrisy and abuse and frankly lawlessness to much of the world.” Dallas Morning News - Lawrence Korb talks about the readiness of Iraqi forces to take control of areas secured by American forces.  "They did not trust the [Iraqi] army enough to tell them ahead of time about the operation ... and the police are still not in good shape." Boston Globe - Lawrence Korb discusses the army's difficulties in recruiting high school graduates. "It is the erosion of the all- volunteer Army. Mothers and ministers are turning people against joining the Army." CNSNews - P.J. Crowley says that the FISA court remains relevant though outdated, and Mark Agrast says the administration may receive a blank check to spy on Americans. "The FISA court has already adapted how it operates to accommodate the government's need to act quickly," Crowley says. " Warrants can be constructed in ways that allow broad latitude but retain oversight by the court." The Next American Century: How the US Can Thrive as Others Rise January 18, 2008  In their new book, The Next American Century, Nina Hachigian and Mona Sutphen show that the "pivotal powers" - China, Europe, India, Japan, and Russia - seek greater influence, but each has an enormous stake in the world economy and a keen desire to thwart common threats. India is a key ally in the struggle against terrorism. China's help is essential to containing pandemic disease. Russia is leading an effort to keep nuclear devices out of terrorists' hands. Japan and Europe are critical partners in tackling climate change. None of these countries is a direct military or ideological challenger. In fact, their gains largely help, rather than hurt, America's continuing prosperity, growth, and to some extent, even its values. Will we have conflicts with these powers? Definitely. Some will be serious. But, by and large, they want what we want: a stable world and better lives for their citizens. We live in an era of opportunity, not of loss. Featuring the two authors: Nina Hachigian, Senior Vice President at the Center for American Progress, Visiting Scholar of the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University Mona Sutphen, Managing Director at Stonebridge International LLC Moderated by: David Sanger, Chief Washington Correspondent, New York Times Click here for more information. Sign up: Policy e-newsletters The Progress Report To unsubscribe, click here Support the Center for American Progress Comments, questions: Email Us National Security Policy Weekly is a product of the Center for American Progress. www.americanprogress.org | contact us | unsubscribe