Editing American Enterprise Institute (section)

====U.S. national security strategy, defense policy, and the "surge"====
In late 2006, the security situation in Iraq continued to deteriorate, and the [[Iraq Study Group]] proposed a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops and further engagement of Iraq's neighbors. Consulting with AEI's Iraq Planning Group, [[Frederick W. Kagan]] published an AEI report entitled ''Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq'' calling for "phase one" of a change in strategy to focus on "clearing and holding" neighborhoods and securing the population; a troop escalation of seven Army brigades and Marine regiments; and a renewed emphasis on reconstruction, economic development, and jobs.<ref name="Choosing Victory">{{cite web|last=Kagan|first=Frederick W.|author-link=Frederick W. Kagan|title=Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq|version=Phase I Report|website=American Enterprise Institute|date=January 5, 2007|url=http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.25396/pub_detail.asp|access-date=April 8, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090408021749/http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.25396/pub_detail.asp|archive-date=April 8, 2009|url-status=dead }}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=September 2024}}

While the report was being drafted, Kagan and Keane were briefing President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and other senior Bush administration officials behind the scenes. According to [[Bob Woodward]], "[[Peter Schoomaker|[Peter J.] Schoomaker]] was outraged when he saw news coverage that retired Gen. [[Jack Keane]], the former Army vice chief of staff, had briefed the president on December 11 about a new Iraq strategy being proposed by the American Enterprise Institute, the [[conservative think tank]]. 'When does AEI start trumping the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]] on this stuff?' Schoomaker asked at the next chiefs' meeting."<ref name="WarWithin">{{cite book|last=Woodward|first=Bob|author-link=Bob Woodward|title=The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006–2008|url=https://archive.org/details/warwithinsecretw00wood_0|url-access=registration|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2008|location=New York|isbn=9781416558989 }}</ref>

Kagan, Keane, and Senators [[John McCain]] and [[Joseph Lieberman]] presented the plan at a January 5, 2007, event at AEI. Bush announced the [[Iraq War troop surge of 2007|change of strategy]] on January 10.<ref name="NYT-Surge">{{cite news|last=Gordon|first=Michael R.|title=Troop 'Surge' Took Place Amid Doubt and Debate|work=The New York Times|date=August 30, 2008|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/washington/31military.html|access-date=April 8, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310155552/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/washington/31military.html|archive-date=March 10, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> Kagan authored three subsequent reports monitoring the progress of the surge.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kagan|first=Frederick W.|author-link=Frederick W. Kagan|title=Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq|version=Phase II Report|website=American Enterprise Institute|date=April 25, 2007|url=http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.26028/pub_detail.asp|access-date=April 8, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409000536/http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.26028/pub_detail.asp|archive-date=April 9, 2009|url-status=dead }}; {{cite web|last=Kagan|first=Frederick W.|author-link=Frederick W. Kagan|title=No Middle Way: The Challenge of Exit Strategies from Iraq|version=Phase III Report|website=American Enterprise Institute|date=September 6, 2007|url=http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.26760/pub_detail.asp|access-date=April 8, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409000545/http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.26760/pub_detail.asp|archive-date=April 9, 2009|url-status=dead }}; {{cite web|last=Kagan|first=Frederick W.|author-link=Frederick W. Kagan|title=Iraq: The Way Ahead|version=Phase IV Report|website=American Enterprise Institute|date=March 24, 2008|url=http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.27686/pub_detail.asp|access-date=April 8, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409000611/http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.27686/pub_detail.asp|archive-date=April 9, 2009|url-status=dead }}</ref>

AEI's defense policy researchers, who also include Schmitt and [[Giselle Donnelly|Thomas Donnelly]], also work on issues related to the [[U.S. Armed Forces|U.S. military forces]]' size and structure and military partnerships with allies (both bilaterally and through institutions such as [[NATO]]). Schmitt directs AEI's Program on Advanced Strategic Studies, which "analyzes the long-term issues that will impact America's security and its ability to lead internationally".<ref name="Highlight"/>