The "Surge" In Iraq, A Center Of Gravity Perspective

Abstract

One key component to the strategy implemented by General Petraeus in Iraq was deploying up to five additional U.S. Army combat brigades and two U.S. Marine battalions to theater bringing the overall troop level in Iraq close to 168,000. This increase in American combat forces on the ground in Iraq has become known as the "Surge" and is commonly credited by politicians, the media, and members of the military as the reason for the sustained turn around in Iraq's security situation since January 2007. This paper, through a Center of Gravity (COG) analysis of al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), shows that the recent security successes achieved in Iraq have less to do with the surge forces and are more due to the lesser-known "Sons of Iraq" initiative.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 31, 2008
Accession Number
ADA494414

Entities

People

  • Barry S. Di Ruzza

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • C4I
  • Counter IED
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Center Of Gravity
  • Counterterrorism
  • Employment
  • Governments
  • Gravity
  • House Of Representatives
  • Information Operations
  • Man Borne Improvised Explosive Devices
  • Military Operations
  • Naval Operations
  • Navy
  • Security
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • United States Central Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.