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Iraq Study Group

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"The Iraq Study Group Report"
The Way Forward - A New Approach

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The Iraq Study Group made a forward-looking, independent assessment of the current and prospective situation on the ground in Iraq and how it affects the surrounding region as well as U.S. interests.

The study group examined four broad topics:

  • the strategic environment in and around Iraq;
  • the security of Iraq and key challenges to enhancing security within the country;
  • political developments within Iraq following the elections and formation of the new government;
  • and the economy and reconstruction.

The effort was undertaken at the urging of several members of Congress with agreement of the White House. A final report was released to Congress, the White House, and the public on December 6, 2006.

USIP's Role with the ISG

USIP was the facilitating organization for the Iraq Study Group (ISG), co-chaired by James A. Baker, III, and Lee H. Hamilton. As such, USIP is the repository for the ISG’s official report, titled The Iraq Study Group Report: The Way Forward - A New Approach, which was downloaded more than 1.5 million times from USIP's Web site in the first two weeks after the launch of the report on December 6, 2006.

USIP facilitated the bipartisan ISG at the urging of Congress. The ISG’s mandate was to conduct a forward-looking, independent assessment of the current and prospective situation on the ground in Iraq, its impact on the surrounding region, and consequences for U.S. interests. Three organizations supported USIP in its work facilitating the ISG: the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Center for the Study of the Presidency (CSP), and the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.

As facilitator, USIP provided scholarly and logistical support to the ISG. It maintained an in-house Iraq expert committee and external Expert Working Groups that provided the ISG with the briefing papers and policy analyses that helped them reach their conclusions. It also coordinated the ISG’s interviews with top U.S. and foreign officials and led the group’s trip to Iraq in the Summer of 2006.

This site contains information about the ISG’s work from its inception in March 2006. It provides timelines, member bios, information about the Expert Working Groups, transcripts of news events, and other information.