U.S. Army War College >> Strategic Studies Institute >> Publications >> Details

Revisions in Need of Revising: What Went Wrong in the Iraq War

Authored by Dr. David C Hendrickson, Dr. Robert W Tucker.

Other Studies by Keyword

+[Iraq War] +[Tucker] +[Iraq] +[Middle East] +[Saddam Hussein] +[Baathists] +[insurgency]

Brief Synopsis

Though critics have made a number of telling points against the Bush administration's conduct of the Iraq war, the most serious problems facing Iraq and its American occupiers—criminal anarchy and lawlessness, a raging insurgency and a society divided into rival and antagonistic groups—were virtually inevitable consequences that flowed from the act of war itself. Military and civilian planners were culpable in failing to plan for certain tasks, but the most serious problems had no good solution. Even so, there are lessons to be learned. These include the danger that the imperatives of "force protection" may sacrifice the broader political mission of U.S. forces and the need for skepticism over the capacity of outsiders to develop the skill and expertise required to reconstruct decapitated states.

You may also be interested in the following titles:

• 
  The U.S. Army in the Iraq War – Volume 1: Invasion – Insurgency – Civil War, 2003-2006

• 
  The U.S. Army in the Iraq War – Volume 2: Surge and Withdrawal, 2007-2011

• 
  Maneuvering the Saudi-Iranian Rivalry in the Middle East: How the United States Can Preserve and Pro...

• 
  A Security Role for the United States in a Post-ISIS Syria?

• 
  Terrorist Sanctuary in the Sahara: A Case Study

• 
  Toward a NATO of the Gulf? The Challenges of Collective Defense Within the GCC

• 
  Can Egypt Lead the Arab World Again? Assessing Opportunities and Challenges for U.S. Policy

• 
  Antiquities Destruction and Illicit Sales as Sources of ISIS Funding and Propaganda

Survey: Revisions in Need of Revising: What Went Wrong in the Iraq War

1. How would you rate the writing and overall quality? (5 best - 1 Worst)

12345

N/A

2. Is the content relevant for influencing present and future debates?

YesNoNo Opinion

Your Comments (No URLs Allowed):

If you'd like a reply to your comments, provide your email:
(optional)

View other pubs in the following category:

Iraq