March 19 marks the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the University of Colorado at Boulder has experts who can comment on various issues concerning the Iraq war.
Three faculty members who can offer comment are:
o Michael Kanner, an instructor in the political science department, is a retired U.S. Army intelligence officer and counter-terrorism expert and can talk about security issues in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The surge of U.S. troops in Baghdad has allowed us to concentrate on the military security side of the war and that has resulted in fewer bombings and less violence compared to last year at this time," Kanner said.
Kanner can be reached at 303-492-7138 or by e-mail at Michael.Kanner@colorado.edu.
o Francis Beer, professor of political science, specializes in the study of conflict and peace, and international relations.
"While the military surge has produced some results, it is only a tactical action and not a strategic one that will produce long-term results," Beer said. "As I said three years ago, the United States is a technologically advanced society with an enormously powerful military capability, but what it doesn't have is a strong capability to put boots on the ground over an extended period of time."
Beer can be reached at 303-492-7802.
o Robert Schulzinger, professor of history and director of CU-Boulder's International Affairs program, is an expert on U.S. foreign policy, diplomacy, American politics and the Vietnam War.
Schulzinger is skeptical that a unified Iraq would survive even if the war eventually ends. "A unified country that is this grouping of the Kurdish north, the Sunni center and the Shia rest of the country, is pretty artificial and may not continue," he said.
Schulzinger can be reached at 303-492-7993.
Or for assistance contact Dirk Martin in the CU-Boulder Office of News Services at 303-492-3140.