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A 21 ST CENTURY WAR

A 21 ST CENTURY WAR. Kevin Benson, PhD Colonel, US Army (ret). Purpose. Offer useful information to fellow teachers. Tell the story of how we developed our plans for operations in Iraq. Explain, from my perspective, the external and internal pressures on the planners.

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A 21 ST CENTURY WAR

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  1. A 21ST CENTURY WAR Kevin Benson, PhD Colonel, US Army (ret) Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  2. Purpose • Offer useful information to fellow teachers. • Tell the story of how we developed our plans for operations in Iraq. • Explain, from my perspective, the external and internal pressures on the planners. • Share my observations and reflections. Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  3. Do you know who this is? Britney !!! Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10 Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer, dancer, songwriter,

  4. Do you know who this is? Prof. Weaver Class 13 MAR 08

  5. Policy and War • War is merely the continuation of policy by other means. • We see, therefore, that war is not merely an act of policy but a true political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse, carried on with other means. What remains peculiar to war is simply the peculiar nature of its means. War in general, and the commander in any specific instance, is entitled to require that the trend and designs of policy shall not be inconsistent with these means. That, of course, is no small demand; but however much it may affect political aims in a given case, it will never do more than modify them. The political object is the goal, war is a means of reaching it, and means can never be considered in isolation from their purpose. Clausewitz, ON WAR, paragraph 24, p. 87 Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  6. Damned Reality Executing a Plan HARD The enemy always gets a vote! REALITY Having a Plan Easy (relatively) Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  7. A comment that made me go, “HMMM …!! “It’s hard to conceive that it would take more forces to provide stability in post-Saddam Iraq than it would take to conduct the war itself and to secure the surrender of Saddam’s security forces and his army. Hard to imagine.” Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, remarks to the House Budget Committee, 27 February 2003 Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  8. EVOLUTION OF THE CFLCC OPLAN VIGILANT GUARDIAN SEP 01 – MAR 02 Continuous tension regarding amount of Force required “on the Ground” to begin the Ground Operation OPLAN BLUE MAR 02 – APR 02 One Corps Limited Objective Attack To create Battlespace and Secure the Southern Iraqi Oil Fields TPFDL Two Corps Simultaneous Attack to Isolate Baghdad Generated Start Force TPFDL IMMINENT BADGER APR 02 – JUL 02 COBRA II JUL 02 – MAR 03 Two Corps Sequential Attack to Isolate Baghdad Running Start Force TPFDL / Force Packages Two Corps Simultaneous Attack to Remove Regime TPFDL / Force Modules / RFF’s ? ? ? No TPFDL ? ? ? • Northern Line of Operation • Heavy / Light BCT – Demonstration • Heavy / Light BCT – Limited Objective Attack • Two Division (Coalition) – Supporting Attack • Division Combat Team – Supporting Attack ECLIPSE II JAN 03 – APR 03 Initially Two Corps Restore Stability Planning began JUN02

  9. Air bridge Mobilization Air Ops PHASING CONSTRUCT “5-11-16-125” Nov 02 Preparation PHASE I CENTCOM Shaping Operations • 5 DAYS PHASE II • 11 DAYS Decisive Maneuver Regime Removal / Transition • 16 DAYS PHASE III Deploy forces PHASE IV • 125 DAYS (WORST CASE) UNKNOWN G-Day Setting Theater Conditions PHASE I Shaping Opns CFLCC PH II Decisive Maneuver Regime Removal / Transition PHASE III PHASE IV LD POTUS Decision N-Day C-Day A- Day *Limited Pre-C Day Movements Flow begins Air attacks (C+11) N= POTUS Decision C = Forces flow Begin A = Air Operations Begin G = Ground Operations Begin

  10. Phase III D+15 – D+18 Phase III: Scheme of Maneuver D+15 – D+18 (3- 6 April) XX UK 1 XX V XX(-) 82 XX XX 3 1 XXX I XXX V I I I A 11 M X TF TARAWA III • I MEF: Supporting Effort • D+15 • Established blocking positions prior to attacking Baghdad Division • D+16 • Attacked to destroy Baghdad Div • Isolates SE Baghdad • Continues destruction of Regime Death Squads (RDS) • UK forces conducts aggressive patrolling in zone to destroy RDS • D+17 • 1st MARDIV secures OBJ Ravens • 1UK DIV conducts raid on Said Traffic circle in AL Bashrah (WEST) • D+18 • Attacked to extend isolation of Baghdad LSA BUSHMASTER • V CORPS: Main Effort • D+15 • 3ID advanced through Karbala Gap and secure key objectives • F-15E dropped one GBU on friendly troops • D+16 • 2BCT, 3ID seized OBJ Saints and established roadblocks along HWY 1,8 and 9 • 1BCT, 3ID engaging 2 pockets of infantry and a T72 near BIAP • 82d ABN attacks north of As Samawah • D+17 • 3ID secures BIAP and OBJ Saints • 101 AASLT secures AN NAJAF and FARP Shell • D+18 • 3ID conducts armored raid through Baghdad Tallil LSA Adder Jalibah DJIMO Class 4JAN10 352CA CMDD+16 402d CA BDE delivered 17280 HDR’s and 120 pallets of water to LSA Adder

  11. Phase IV Concept and Nesting CFC Decisive Maneuver PHASE III Regime Removal / Transition IVa Stabilization IVc Transition IVb Recovery CJTF-IRAQ DP DP Interim administration CFLCC CFLCC exercises military authority on regional basis DP DP Decisive Maneuver PHASE III Regime Removal / Transition PHASE IV Baghdad Isolated Regime Collapse/ Military Defeat CFLCC Redeployed Independent Iraqi Govt OFFENSE STABILITY SUPPORT DJIMO Class 4JAN10 The Nature of Operations

  12. Phase IV – Flash Points & Threats to Coalition Forces Irbil Kirkuk Mosul Baghdad Karbala Al Amarah Kurd Kurd/Sunni Sunni Shia Sunni/Shia Sunni Turkmen = Internal/ External Threats to Regime = Direct Threats to Coalition Forces Al Basrah • KDP, PUK and Turkomans • Territorial / oil infrastructure claims. • Score settling against Sunnis (Arabization). • Threats to Coalition Force • Resistance from remnants • of Iraqi Armed Forces. • Asymmetric Threat . • Terrorist attacks on LOCs. • Unconventional use of WMD. • Atks against Key Oil Nodes. • Shia holy cities* • Inter Shia power struggles • score settling against Sunnis. • religious rioting in the past. • An Najaf is the location of the shrine of Imam Ali B. Abi Talib and the grave site of the martyr Imam Husayn is in Karbala. • Intra Tribal factionalism. • Score settling against Sunnis. An Najaf DJIMO Class 4JAN10

  13. CFLCC/CJTF-7 Initial Battle space XXX XXXX I CFLCC CFLCC/CJTF-7 Initial Battlespace Phase IV Operations XXX V Border Crossing DJIMO Class 4JAN10

  14. CFLCC/CJTF-7 Initial Battle space XXXX CJTF-7 CFLCC/CJTF-7 Coalition Battlespace Phase IV Operations XX Border Crossing MND-CS POL XX UK MND-S DJIMO Class 4JAN10

  15. What does this all mean? • “The first, the supreme, the most far-reaching act of judgment that the statesman and commander have to make is to establish … the kind of war on which they are embarking; neither mistaking it for, nor trying to turn it into, something that is alien to its nature. This is the first of all strategic questions and the most comprehensive.” Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  16. Why we are in the war • U.S. Strategic Objectives. Operations in Iraq will support the following U.S. strategic objectives: • A stable Iraq, with its territorial integrity intact and a broad-based government that renounces WMD development and use and no longer supports terrorism or threatens its neighbors. • Success in Iraq leveraged to convince or compel other countries to cease support to terrorists and to deny them access to WMD. • Military Objectives. Operations in Iraq will accomplish the following strategic military objectives: • Destabilize, isolate, and overthrow the Iraq regime and provide support to a new, broad-based government. • Destroy Iraq WMD capability and infrastructure. • Protect allies and supporters from Iraq threats and attacks. • Destroy terrorist networks in Iraq. Gather intelligence on global terrorism, detain terrorists and war criminals and free individuals unjustly detained under the Iraq regime. • Support international efforts to set conditions for long-term stability in Iraq and the region. Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  17. How we've handled it • Tactically – Not Bad • Operationally – Not Bad • Strategically – Remains to be seen • Policy – Remains to be seen Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  18. Phase III D+15 – D+18 The Challenges of Leaving Iraq Baghdad Airport 650 miles Tallil Jalibah One Seaport DJIMO Class 4JAN10 Two Kuwaiti airports

  19. Observations • The information age has not suspended the laws of Newtonian physics. • What can be “controlled” from Washington/Ottawa/London/etc., WILL be “controlled” from there… • Policy is too important to be left to politicians. Understand the policy making process and when in the position to inform policy makers tell the truth to power. Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  20. Observations • Read history critically, not how we WANT it to be • Our country is strong, vibrant, and will get through all of this in fine form. You already know this as you teach young people who are, by and large, really good. Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  21. What the future might hold • If I could predict the future I’d be living in the Virgin Islands and be invited to Davos to prognosticate. • I agree with the Army Chief of Staff • I believe the next decades are likely to be ones of persistent conflict—protracted confrontation among state, non-state and individual actors that use violence to achieve their political and ideological ends. George W. Casey Jr., General, US Army, “The Strength of the Nation” Army Magazine, October 2007. • The challenge for all of YOU is to encourage young people to THINK, they are the national leaders of the future. Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  22. What we intended to do • Present our opinions on • why we are in the war, • how we've handled it, • what the future might hold. • Provide useful information to fellow teachers THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!! Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  23. Operation Iraqi FreedomChain of Command President/Secretary of Defense CENTCOM = US Central Command CFLCC = Combined Forces Land Component Command CFACC = Combined Forces Air Component Command CFMCC = Combined Forces Maritime Component Command MARCENT = Marines Forces Central Command CFSOCC = Combined Forces Special Operations Command MEF = Marine Expeditionary Force Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  24. A- Day = day air combat operations begin AO = area of operations BCT = Brigade Combat Team BDE = Brigade BN = Battalion C3 = command, control, communications CFC = Coalition Forces Command (also known as CENTCOM) CGAs = coalition government agencies CJTF = Combined Joint Task Force CMO = Civil Military Operations CMOC = Civil-Military Operations Center COMCENT = Commander, Central Command (GEN Franks) COMCFLCC = Commander, Combined Forces Land Component Command CPA = Coalition Provisional Authority CSS = Combat Service Support (supply & logistics) DC = Displaced Civilians, District of Columbia DoD = Department of Defense DoE = Department of Energy DoJ = Department of Justice DoS = Department of State DP = Decision Point EPW = Enemy Prisoner of War G-Day = Day ground combat operations begin HA = Humanitarian Assistance HACC = Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Center HN = Host Nation HOC = Humanitarian Operations Center HOC-IZ = Humanitarian Operations Center – Iraq HVT = High Value Target IA-DART = Inter-Agency-Disaster Assistance Response Team IOs = international organizations or information operations ISG = Iraq Survey Group IZ = military short hand for Iraq, IR is Iran JSOA-N = Joint Special Operations Area – North KDP = Kurdish Democratic Party LOC = Line of Communication LOGCAP = Logistics Civil Augmentation Program LSA = Logisitic Support Area ACRONYM LISTTruman Library Presentation Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  25. MeK = Mujahadin e’ Khalq, Iraqi backed anti Iranian group based in Iraq MSC = Major Subordinate Commands NBC = Nuclear, Biological, Chemical NGOs = non-governmental organizations NIC = New Iraqi Corps (the project to rebuild the Iraqi Army) OGA = Other Government Agencies OPLAN = Operations Plan PUK = Patriotic Union of Kurdistan RA = Regular Army (Iraqi) RFF = Request for forces RGFC = Republican Guard Forces Command (Iraqi ground forces) SCIRI = Supreme Committee for the Iranian Revolution in Iraq (Iranian backed Shia group that opposed Saddam) SF = Special Forces SOF = Special Operating Forces SRG = Special Republican Guard (elite unit of the Republican Guard with personal loyalty to Saddam) SSE = sensitive site exploitation SSO = Special Security Organization (Iraqi secret police) TPFDD = Time phased force deployment data TPFDL = Time phased force deployment list UXO = unexploded ordinance WMD = weapons of mass destruction ACRONYM LISTTruman Library Presentation Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

  26. Recommended Reading List • COBRA II, by Michael Gordon • ON POINT, by Greg Fontenot, et al • ON POINT II, by COL Tim Reese, ed. • FIASCO, by Tom Ricks • Tell Me How This Ends, by Linda Robinson • The Good Soldiers, by David Finkel • Rumsfeld: On His Own Terms, by Gordon Bradley • In the Company of Soldiers, by Rick Atkinson • Baghdad at Dawn, by Peter Mansoor • THUNDER RUN, by David Zucchino • Not A Good Day To Die, by Sean Naylor • Black Hearts, by Jim Frederick Truman Library Symposium 15JUL10

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