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| Iraq troop surge | |
|---|---|
| Name | Iraq troop surge |
| Partof | Iraq War |
| Place | Baghdad Governorate, Anbar Governorate, Salah ad Din Governorate |
| Date | 2007–2008 |
| Combatant1 | United States of America United States Army United States Marine Corps United States Central Command |
| Combatant2 | Iraqi insurgency Al-Qaeda in Iraq Mahdi Army Ansar al-Sunna |
| Result | Increased security in some areas, political controversy, long-term instability |
Iraq troop surge The Iraq troop surge was a 2007–2008 increase of United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces in Iraq intended to reduce sectarian violence in Baghdad and Anbar Province. It followed major events such as the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, the rise of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and the 2006 sectarian violence after the 2006 bombing of the al-Askari Mosque. The policy was associated with figures including George W. Bush, David Petraeus, and Stephen Hadley and linked to contemporaneous debates in the United States Congress, Senate Armed Services Committee, and among media outlets such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.
By 2006–2007, Iraq faced insurgency from groups including Al-Qaeda in Iraq and militias led by figures like Muqtada al-Sadr of the Mahdi Army, while the Ba'ath Party legacy and former regime elements persisted after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Regional actors such as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian government supported militias, and neighboring states including Syria and Saudi Arabia influenced Sunni and transnational networks. The security vacuum and collapse of institutions traced to the Coalition Provisional Authority policies, disbanding of the Iraqi Army and de-Ba'athification measures, intersected with international diplomacy involving the United Nations and bilateral relations with the United Kingdom and Australia. High-profile incidents such as the 2004 Fallujah uprising, the First Battle of Fallujah, and the 2004 election in Iraq shaped threat assessments presented to the National Security Council and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Policy options were debated within the White House between advisors like Karl Rove and Condoleezza Rice, military leaders including George Casey and David Petraeus, and civilian officials such as Doug Feith and Robert Gates. The plan drew on counterinsurgency doctrine articulated in the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual (FM 3-24) and lessons from conflicts including the Vietnam War and operations in Afghanistan against the Taliban. Congressional oversight by the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives intersected with testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee and attention from committees including the House Armed Services Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence. Internationally, allies such as the United Kingdom debated force commitments following deployments like the British operations in Basra.
The surge involved deploying five brigades of the United States Army and additional United States Marine Corps units, expanding forces under Multi-National Force – Iraq command, with operational leadership from figures including David Petraeus as commander of Multi-National Force – Iraq and Ray Odierno as Multi-National Corps – Iraq commander. Troop movements involved units such as the 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Marine Division, 2nd Marine Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and National Guard units including the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The surge coordinated with training and expansion of the Iraqi Security Forces, integrating elements of the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police while involving advisors from the U.S. Department of Defense and contractors linked to firms like Halliburton and Blackwater USA.
Operations emphasized population-centric counterinsurgency, including the "clear, hold, build" sequence derived from FM 3-24 and concepts promoted by theorists such as David Galula and historical analogies to the Malayan Emergency. Tactics included increased patrols, joint patrols with Iraqi Security Forces, establishment of joint security stations, and operations in neighborhoods such as Sadr City and districts across Baghdad. Notable actions occurred alongside campaigns like the Anbar Awakening, where Sunni tribal sheikhs such as Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha allied against Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and reconciliation efforts with militias including parts of the Mahdi Army. Air support from United States Air Force assets, logistics from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and intelligence from Defense Intelligence Agency and Central Intelligence Agency were integral, as were detention policies influenced by Guantanamo Bay detention camp controversies and legal debates in the United States Supreme Court context.
Domestic reaction in the United States of America cut across factions including Democrats and Republicans with commentators such as Thomas Friedman, Paul Krugman, and outlets like Fox News weighing in. Congressional figures including Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, John McCain, and Lindsey Graham debated funding and benchmarks. Internationally, governments including the United Kingdom under leaders like Tony Blair and later Gordon Brown engaged in discourse about allied support. Public opinion measured in polls by organizations like the Pew Research Center and Gallup influenced electoral politics including the 2008 United States presidential election involving Barack Obama and John McCain.
Short-term metrics documented declines in violent incidents and U.S. military casualties in 2007–2008, prompting analyses by bodies such as the Congressional Research Service and the Brookings Institution. Critics pointed to continued political fragmentation, the rise of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant later in 2013, and contested attribution between military tactics and local dynamics like the Anbar Awakening. The surge influenced doctrine in the U.S. Army and United States Marine Corps, counterinsurgency studies at institutions such as Harvard University and Princeton University, and policy debates in subsequent administrations including Barack Obama's. Legacy discussions involve scholars and policymakers from RAND Corporation, Council on Foreign Relations, Foreign Policy magazine, and historians analyzing the wider consequences for Middle East geopolitics, U.S. foreign policy, and civil-military relations.