Military:
About "141,000 U.S. military personnel are serving in Iraq." In terms of their activities in Iraq, the Study Group report notes, "the U.S. military rarely engages in large-scale combat operations. Instead, counter insurgency efforts focus on a strategy of 'clear, hold, and build' - 'clearing' areas of insurgents and death squads, 'holding' those areas with Iraqi security forces, and 'building' areas with quick-impact reconstruction projects." The military is focused on "the training of competent Iraqi security forces."

The report notes that "many military units are under significant strain," and the U.S. military "has little reserve force to call on if it needs ground forces to respond to other crises around the world."

Reconstruction:
$34 Billion has been appropriated "to support the reconstruction of Iraq" with most all of the funds already committed. The Report notes difficulties with coordination among the various U.S. departments involved. "The coordination of assistance programs by the Defense Department, State department, United States Agency for International Development, and other agencies has been ineffective. There are no clear lines establishing who is in charge of reconstruction."

Interests at Stake:
Continued violence and ethnic warfare could have significant implications for the U.S. far beyond Iraq. "Terrorism could grow. [...] A chaotic Iraq could provide a still stronger base of operations for terrorists who seek to act regionally or even globally.."

Perceived failure [in Iraq] could diminish America's credibility and influence in a region that is the center of the Islamic world and vital to the world's energy supply. This loss would reduce America's global influence [...] and the longer that U.S. political and military resources are tied down in Iraq, the more chances for American failure in Afghanistan increase."

"The United States has spent roughly $400 billion on the Iraq War, and costs are running about $8 billion per month. In addition, the United States must expect significant 'tail cost' to come. [...] Estimates run as high as $2 trillion for the final cost of the U.S. involvement in Iraq."