Aspects of the Current American Surge Strategy for Iraq - Coursework Example

Surge Strategy Strategy is the calculated relationship among the end or objectives sought, the means or resources to achieve those ends and the ways or the concepts underlining the use of such resources1. According to Yarger, strategy seeks to control the environment rather than reacting to it and is achieved through the identification of an appropriate balance between the objectives sought, the means to be used and the resources available to pursue those objectives2. Grand strategy controls both military strategy as well as all subordinate strategies and is formulated after identifying national interests and objectives and threats to those objectives. The “surge” strategy refers to the efforts of the Bush administration to craft a new strategy for Iraq involving the deployment of combat troops to protect American security interests by building a stable, democratic Iraq. Strategy is premised on the basis that a strategist must know the end that he is trying to achieve. It is only by understanding and analyzing the desired end result in the context of the internal and external environments that appropriate objectives can be formulated3. According to the President’s speech, the desired end result of the strategy in Iraq was to create space for political progress4 by establishing a functioning democracy in Iraq that would be able to police itself, uphold the rule of law, respect basic human rights and answer to the people. This end objective was therefore above and beyond bringing a transition to Iraqi control and included bringing security to the Iraqi population5. One of the objectives was to provide support for the newly established Government in Iraq and prevent an onset of mass killings which would have necessitated a longer stay in Iraq for American troops. The objective of the surge was therefore to transform Iraq into a place that no longer harbored terrorists who pose a threat to American interests and security (President’s address). In assessing the means available for achieving these end objectives through the deployment of American troops in Iraq, Keane and Kagan’s recommendation was at least 30,000 troops for a period of 18 months6 thereby justifying the deployment of 100,000 troops by President Bush in 2003. Earlier missions by American and Iraqi troops to clear Baghdad had been successful only for a short duration, because the number of troops was inadequate to retain control and ensure that rebels didn’t trickle back in. As a result, Keane and Kegan recommended a larger number of troops. Since the objective was to secure the Iraqi population rather than achieve a mere transition of control to the Iraqi forces, the surge period they recommended was 18 months. However, the reality is that the war has dragged on for a longer period and Luttwak argues that the best strategy for the United States to respond to unfolding events subsequent to the surge is to disengage and withdraw its forces with the aid of diplomatic effort7. He argues that the United States needs to revise its original strategic end of bringing democracy to Iraq and settle for general elections, because the risks associated with continued, indefinite occupation are much more risky than disengagement. One of the criticisms levied against the Bush administration in the means employed to achieve the end objectives in Iraq, was that the strategy was planned with no back up options in case in failed. However, Kegan argues that the nature of the strategy was such that the development of a single alternative at the beginning of the war initiative would have been antithetical to the dynamic nature of war.8 He points out that the surge was successful in achieving improvements to the situation in Iraq, by capturing several key rebel leaders, bringing about a change in the tenor of the Iraqi Government and initiating discussions between Iraq and its neighbors. But the reality of the Iraq war is the eruption of sectarian violence, for which the American combat presence in Iraq has proved insufficient, due to the failure of the surge strategy to anticipate such consequences and provide for it. The surge strategy was accomplished on a basis of a shaky political consensus built up by President Bush. However its failure to provide for an alternative course of action in case of failure has now resulted in lawmakers searching for a Plan B, which can accommodate the growing opposition to the surge that has not yet translated into support for a complete withdrawal from Iraq9. According to Boot, the surge strategy in Iraq has not been successful, largely due to the fractured nature of the command systems between the United States and Iraq, as well as the lack of a strong law enforcement system to ensure that rebels and insurgents are adequately punished, rather than released10. In the formulation of strategy, national interests play a salient role, leading to a strategic appraisal process. A sound national security strategy must incorporate four aspects (DIEM): (a) information strategy (b) diplomatic strategy utilizing political power (c) economic strategy and (d) military strategy . These are means which are considered in devising ways to accomplish strategic goals through the formulation of a grand strategy.11 For example, in the IInd World war, the Truman Doctrine facilitated political means, the alliances between troops of various countries served to further military objectives while the Marshall Plan was the economic means to achieve the ends sought by the Grand strategy.12 In the case of Iraq, the achievement of victory in Iraq was defined as a vital factor in U.S. national interests. It was a part of the war on terror, geared to arrest the activities of terrorists posing a direct threat to United States security a.k.a. the incidents of 9/11, as well as to prevent chaos in the Middle East which would also affect U.S. safety and security.13 The preservation of national power is an important aspect in strategy because it enables one nation to exert a significant influence on the behavior and objectives of other nation states.14 America’s geographical isolation and size, as well as the abundance of natural resources, coupled with economic strength have increased its national power. The DIEM model is also identified in the strategy utilized during the Iraq surge. The political means were sought to be achieved through helping in the establishment of democratic governance in Iraq by isolating enemy and rebel elements, engaging those who had been outside the political process and building stable, national Iraqi democratic institutions15. The establishment of the predominantly Western democracy in Iraq may be a particularly important national interest for the United States, since there is a democratic deficit in the Arab countries due to differing political and religious values16. Unfavorable perceptions about the US in the Middle East are challenging its traditional role as a hegemonic power and the leading democratic power; hence the objective of the surge is geared to garner support through a strong, democratic Iraq. The military means were sought to be achieved by clearing out areas controlled by enemy elements, holding on to the captured areas and ensuring that they remained free of rebel re-infestation - under the control of the Iraqi Government and building and training the Iraqi security forces and local institutions to advance the rule of law. The projection of a strong and effective U.S, military is also vital to U.S. interests, since it helps in power projection. China has been quietly building up its military power and threatening US hegemony17, because it has begun to play the former US role in the Asian region, i.e, that of offering military protection to Asian States. Moreover, it has emerged as a force that functions on the basis of an authoritarian capitalist society rather than a democracy, which could prove attractive to other non-democratic states. With the growing strength of China in the Asian region, the U.S. need to acquire strength in the Middle East and demonstrate its impressive military capability to countries such as China is part of the surge strategy. The economic means that were sought to be achieved through the surge were the restoration of the Iraqi infrastructure in order to meet the needs of its economy, reforming Iraq’s economy to bring it release from its war torn, sanctions based history and building Iraqi institutional capacity to maintain the infrastructure. This is yet again to counter China’s growing status as an economic power, and to seek to build a strong ally in the non democratic Middle East, which could otherwise ally with China to pose a serious threat to US national interests. The informational means that have been utilized in the surge strategy is by providing reports and descriptions of strategy in Iraq through the media for the benefit of the world community, providing information through newsletters and flyers for the benefit of the Iraqis. The far reaching effects of superiority in communications has also helped in the creation of operational synergies18 in the war on Iraq. Read More