What really happened during the surge year 2007?
Outlaw 09 commented on a recent SWJ article and I thought it was a valid point, that needed a thread:
Quote:
There have been countless comments on countless articles in the last two years here at SWJ---when are we going to finally address in a clear and concise manner what really happened during the surge year 2007?
Only when there is an accurate understanding of just why things did or did not work in the surge phase can we understand and move forward without creating new myths and countless reputations.
I still maintain that we did not as a Force understand that in fact by Jan 2004 we were in a full scale Stage Two guerrilla war and in fact AQI created their own downfall by overreaching inside the Sunni communities-and not our "surge" which led AQI to be fully sidelined.
Maybe the past (only five years ago) is now becoming more interesting with such books---but as an institution the Force is not ready to address the success or failure of the surge years-too many reputations were made in those years. And---Who wants to throw stones at reputations as it is definitely not good for ones' career.
Link:http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art...e-snake-eaters
I shall have a look for threads that may have covered the Surge.
Note some months ago I closed virtually all the OEF threads, but cut & paste will still work.
Some relevant threads (in OIF arena only)
Previous threads:
Troop ‘Surge’ Took Place Amid Doubt and Debate, last update 08-31-2008 (x1 post):http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=5959
Six Months That Could Change Iraq, last update 12-29-2007 (x4 posts):http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=4610
The Success of the Surge, a SWJ article:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=4592
Six Questions for Doug Macgregor on Iraq and the Surge (x17 posts) last update:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=4400
The Surge: First Fruits (x17 posts) last update 05-22-2007:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=2606
Keys to a Successful Surge (x11 posts) last update 03-14-2007:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=2137
Thoughts on a possible "surge" in Iraq (x33 posts) last update 01-14-2007:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=1681
Inside the Surge: 1-5 Cavalry in Ameriyah, SWJ article 10-27-2008:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=6217
The Battle of Baghdad (maybe not Surge discussion) (x44 posts) 04-17-2008 last update:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=1131
Our Troops Did Not Fail in 2006 (x16 posts) last update 04-07-2008:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=4782
Could Someone Please Explain the "Surge Strategy" to Me (x24 posts) 07-08-2007 last update:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=3362
A favorite of mine which asks the same question.
Iraq after us. Act 1: what just happened? | This American Life
To understand where we are today in Iraq, we tell the story of one Iraqi, Saad Oraibi Ghaffouri Al-Obeidi, also known as Abu Abed—a man who fought alongside the US during the surge, and is now in exile—and what he saw, and was part of, over seven years of the war. (28 minutes) [LINK]