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In a story in The Atlantic, President Emeritus James Wright discusses a debate “that still echoes” through the world: whether President George W. Bush and his administration deceived the United States about the alleged presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Wright cites a statement from Bush’s secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, arguing that Bush was wrong rather than deceitful.

“History,” says Wright, “will judge this distinction.”

Now, says Wright, lessons taken from the Iraq war can inform decisions about whether to become militarily involved in Syria.

“The debate is energized by allegations that the Assad regime may have used chemical weapons against the rebels,” Wright writes. “The situation is different from that in Iraq in 2003, but the latter can inform policy makers about some questions—and provide lessons about military engagement without clear military objectives.”

Read the full story, published 5/1/13 in The Atlantic.