Dov S. Zakheim

Dov Zakheim served as the undersecretary of defense (comptroller) from 2001-2004, and as the deputy undersecretary of defense (planning and resources) from 1985-1987.  He is a member of The National Interest's Advisory Council. 


Essays

Pundits across the political spectrum have been busy making pronouncements about the “real” financial and political costs of the war in Iraq. Most of them are just blowing smoke. In TNI’s Realist, Grover Norquist and Dov Zakheim separate fact from

Responding to Dimitri K. Simes’s assertion that we aren’t having a real debate over foreign policy, Derek Chollet argues the Democrats are providing genuine alternatives; Grover G. Norquist looks at the structural reasons inhibiting both parties f

Defining what constitutes victory in Iraq is the number one question in American politics. Washington needs to go beyond offering bumper-sticker cliches to provide workable yardsticks for measuring success. Some thoughts on the matter.

The political soil of the Middle East has not been tilled by the Western Enlightenment. Growing democracy there must take this into account.

The upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review will have to go beyond superficial plans, address the international environment squarely, assess real savings and the difficult political decisions that they will engender, and avoid budgetary sleights-of-ha

Commentary

Having the lame-duck Senate ratify the New START arms-control agreement would be an insult to the Russians.

Coordinating U.S. Afghanistan policy through India would give double-dealing Pakistan something to think about.

Corruption is endemic to Afghanistan. Petraeus's plan to root it out is Washington's only chance of even a modicum of success.

The Obama administration's trumpeting over its successful sanctions against Tehran might be premature.

Netanyahu and Abbas know how an agreement would look. Will it fly?

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December 18, 2010