Decisive Battles Of The Second Gulf War

With the recent resignation of Celebrated General Stanley McCrystal from his post as Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A), and the subsequent appointment (pending Senate confirmation) by President Barack Obama of former Commanding General Of Multi-National Force – Iraq General David Petraus, it will be worth going over the accomplishments Petraeus managed during his contribution to the war effort in the region. What can we expect from Petraeus in his role as Commander of The United States Central Command? A recount of the events of several significant battles of The Iraq War will help shed some perspective on his abilities as a commander.

The First Battle Of Fallujah

Touched off by the highly publicized ambush and killing of four private Blackwater contractors, The First Battle Of Fallujah was initiated to stop the growth of a credible threat from increasing insurgency activity within the previously pro-American cities in the country. As U.S. forces moved into the city to quell outbreaks of violence and resistance, hostilities boiled over when 700 members of the 82nd Airborne Division along with 150 members of Charlie Company occupied the al-Qa’id primary school on April 28th, 2004. U.S. forces were attacked and a large-scale firefight broke out, with casualties on both sides, and an upwelling of resentment from the local population, inflamed by insurgent propaganda. This fight, along with several other caustic events in the following days, prompted Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt to order a ‘pacification’ of the city.

The First Battle of Fallujah played a key role in reshaping the greater Iraq war strategy by shedding light on tactics for managing of Iraqi public opinion, as well as serving as an indication of the dangerous rise of more-violent Insurgent factions within the Iraqi Insurgency. The battle itself was essentially a siege; the entire city was surrounded by some 2000 troops and sporadic conflicts with the estimated 24 different Insurgent factions pushed on for 3 days. Key psychological tactics, including the blaring of heavy metal music and the use of scout snipers were key to Coalition strategy. After the battle was over, with 24 U.S. Servicemen and hundreds of insurgents killed in the fighting, an Iraqi brigade was set up to patrol and maintain order within the city. When the group dissolved and gave all its weapons to Insurgents, Coalition forces only retained control over 25% of the city, and the Second Battle of Fallujah became necessary.

The Second Battle Of Fallujah

The City of Fallujah before the First Battle of Fallujah and the aftermath of that fight between Coalition and Iraqi Insurgency forces. The government of the city, led by the secular Taha Bidaywi Hamed, had previously been successful in keeping looters from gaining control of the city after the destruction of the Ba’ath Infastructure in the wake of Saddam Hussein’s fall from power, but now the situation was rapidly deteriorating. Following the first battle, it is estimated that the numbers and strength of the insurgency in the city more than doubled, with some 3000 insurgent rebels taking up arms to fight Coalition forces. ‘Operation Phantom Fury’ was launched in November of 2004, beginning with a blockage of the city, and several weeks of artillery bombardments.

Described as “some of the heaviest urban combat U.S. Marines have been involved in since the Battle of Huế City in Vietnam in 1968″ by the U.S. Military, Phantom Fury was a comprehensive and multi-pronged operation. Electrical power to the city was shut off and combat teams of Infantry units moved in to clear out heavily guarded bunkers and Insurgent safe-houses. The city’s main train station was cleared to cut off support from outside rebel forces, while fighting within the city continued for 9 days as U.S. forces slowly grasped control over the central districts near the highway. While this battle dramatically reduced Insurgents power in Fallujah, it also allowed many to escape to different parts of the country and re-group. And the aftermath saw a change in Insurgent tactics too; drawing insurgents out into the open became increasingly more difficult, leading Coalition forces to have to adopt new combat tactics.

The Battle Of Nasiriyah

With a backround which uncannily resembles a movie plot, this is the battle that immortalized the tribulations of Private Jessica Lynch and “Ambush Alley” within the lore of the Iraq War. Taskforce Tarawa was ordered to clear two bridges to make way for U.S. troops to advance into the city, but the convoy unwittingly took a wrong a turn and drove right into an Insurgent encampment. In their efforts to escape and get back to friendly soil, with just one mile left before recrossing the Euphrates Bridge to safety, the convoy was ambushed in a ferocious attack. 11 Marines were killed and several other were captured in the ensuing fighting. The 18 surviving Marines formed a shield around their wounded and successfully fought off a string of Iraq Insurgent attacks, before retreating back across the bridge to friendly lines.

Nasiriyah played a key role in in the greater war effort, as one of the two inital invasion routes of Iraq. The city serves as a critical supply route and guarantor of Coalition troops safety from attacks originating in the southern tip of the country. It’s two key bridges, which the Marine eventually achieved control of, also served as a launching point for further operations in the Norther provinces, where fighting became much more intense in the following months.

The Mahdi Army Uprising

Political hate-speech delivered by the charismatic and authoritarian personality of Muqtada Al-Sadr and sectarian religious violence are two major elements that contributed to The Mahdi Uprising.When this powerful cleric’s family run newspaper was banned from the area, and one of his senior aides was killed, he delivered an especially caustic sermon that led his followers to carry out a general uprising. Beginning with 500 Seminary students, Al-Sadr managed to raise an army of 10,000 men – an army which became a major problem for Coalition forces in their efforts to subdue insurgent activity and carry-out the tedious process of Iraqi reconstruction. The uprising was further promoted by external interests, as the participation of a number of religious factions and peripheral support from other Sh’ite nations, including Iran, were key to Sadr’s influence and power.

The first uprising, which was followed by a string of others, leading to an eventual truce, began with offenses in four separate Iraqi cities (Sadr City, Kufa, Kut, and Najaf). Sadr’s forces seized control of key strategic targets, including police stations, public buildings and housing developments. By taking control of key targets in a number of important Iraqi cities (including Sadr City), the Mahdi Army established itself as a significant political presence in the region.  Their string of uprisings formed one of the larger ‘battles’ of the war, showing a shift in Coalition tactics, once it was realized that it’d be essential for U.S. forces to negotiate a truce, rather than deposing Al-Sadr, which risked alienating Iraqi society and inflaming public opinion against them. Sadr still retains a great deal of public influence in Iraq, both because of his strategic attacks, and the presence that his family established by refusing to leave the country.

Respecting The Contributions Of War Veterans

By showcasing some of the most strategically significant battles of the Iraq War, we hope to have shed some light on the shift in Coalition tactics in the region. From a strategy of all out fighting, to one of negotiation and political concessions, our leaders have proven to show remarkable constraint in the face of terrible odds, and shifted Iraqi opinion of the American mission to a more favorable state. General David Petraeus played a large role in this process, and has subsequently proven himself to be a highly capable commander.

Since the commanding Generals get the lions share of media attention, we believe it’s even more important to speak out for troops on the ground, which is why we’ve created resources for Veterans, Service-members, and their families. To get more information about learning opportunities for military members, please visit our Post 9/11 GI Bill, Military Education, and Yellow Ribbon Program sections of the Blog.