Army: Iraq Occupation Was Understaffed

700-Page Study Finds There Weren't Enough Soldiers To Handle War From The Beginning

(AP)  A nearly 700-page study released Sunday by the Army found that "in the euphoria of early 2003," U.S.-based commanders prematurely believed their goals in Iraq had been reached and did not send enough troops to handle the occupation.

President George W. Bush's statement on May 1, 2003, that major combat operations were over reinforced that view, the study said.

It was written by Donald P. Wright and Col. Timothy R. Reese of the Combat Operations Study Team at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., who said that planners who requested more troops were ignored and that commanders in Baghdad were replaced without enough of a transition and lacked enough staff.

Gen. William S. Wallace, commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, said in a foreword that it's no surprise that a report with these conclusions was written.

"One of the great and least understood qualities of the United States Army is its culture of introspection and self-examination," he wrote.

The report said that the civilian and military planning for a post-Saddam Iraq was inadequate, and that the Army should have pushed the Joint Chiefs of Staff for better planning and preparation.

Retired military leaders, members of Congress, think tanks and others have already concluded that the occupation was understaffed.

At least 4,113 U.S. military members have died in Iraq, according to a count by The Associated Press.

Hundreds of commanders and other soldiers and officials were interviewed for the report released Sunday. The Army ordered the study to review what happened in the 18 months after the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime. A report on the invasion was released earlier.

The report said that after Saddam's regime was removed from power, most commanders and units expected to transition to stability and support operations, similar to what was seen in Bosnia and Kosovo.

Commanders with the mindset that victory had already been achieved believed that a post-combat Iraq would require "only a limited commitment by the U.S. military and would be relatively peaceful and short as Iraqis quickly assumed responsibility," the study said.

"Few commanders foresaw that full spectrum operations in Iraq would entail the simultaneous employment of offense, defense, stability, and support operations by units at all echelons of command to defeat new, vicious, and effective enemies," it added.

The report said the first Bush administration and its advisers had assumed incorrectly that the Saddam regime would collapse after the first Gulf War.

When Saddam was so quickly defeated in 2003, there was an absence of authority that led to widespread looting and violence, the report said. Soldiers initially had no plan to deal with that. The administration's decision to remove Saddam's followers entirely from power caused governmental services to collapse, "fostering a huge unemployment problem," it said.

Planners in the Iraq headquarters said 300,000 troops would be needed for the occupation. Even before the invasion, some planners had called for 300,000 troops to be sent for the invasion and occupation.

During an April 16, 2003, visit to Baghdad, coalition commander Gen. Tommy Franks told his subordinate leaders to prepare to move most of their forces out of Iraq by September of that year, the report noted.

"In line with the prewar planning and general euphoria at the rapid crumbling of the Saddam regime, Franks continued to plan for a very limited role for U.S. ground forces in Iraq," the report said.

The report said it wasn't until July 16, 2003, that Franks' successor, Gen. John Abizaid, said coalition forces were facing a classic guerrilla insurgency.

Even so, the coalition made some progress, only to have its optimism dashed after the insurgency boiled over in April 2004, when Sunni Arab insurgents and Shiite militias launched violent assaults in many parts of Iraq, the report said.

The authors said the Army had considerable experience and training for guerrilla wars but had not been in one like Iraq since 1992 in Somalia. They said former Secretary of State Colin Powell warned Franks "that he thought too few troops were envisioned in the (invasion) plan."

Some commanders told the authors they asked about plans for making the country stable and got no answers.

The "post-war situation in Iraq was severely out of line with the suppositions made at nearly every level before the war," the report said.

Its writers said it was clear in January 2005 that the Army would remain in Iraq for some time, the writers concluded. The report covered the period from May 2003 to January 2005.

[toldyouso12]

Whether we had enough people to invade is irrelevant. The war was based on lies and no one asked for our help. This fact does not change, even if we had enough people there or put more there now. The war was and is illegal and nothing will change the truth--that we entered a sovereign country, created mayhem, bombed and destroyed people and infrastructure--based on lies and because we wanted a foothold to their oil.

High oil prices is only the beginning of the price we will pay as we reap for the evil we did--and most Americans have never repented--instead making excuses and justifications for what can never be defended--all the money, McDonalds, Coca cola and oil in the world cannot replace a single life--not ones we took or ones the vacuum we created took. That is a fact--not enough people to do the job? That is like Manson lamenting that he did not have enough recruits to break into more star homes and kill people. ***?

[liberalme]

HUSSEIN IS A RACIST WHICH DIVIDES US RATHER THAN UNITES US,,,

Posted by terrorislamj at 04:28 AM : Jul 01, 2008

WOW you''re scared to death of a black man running this country--what are you afraid of?

You''re going to make yourself sick with your hatred.
What do you think he''ll do to you? Why are you so insecure?

Why don''t you just try finding out what Obama is really about--not from faux news or lintball or hannity--go to snopes.com or other non hates sites, they are more factual and truthful--that is unless you like being a white man scared of an intelligent black man running our country.

Come on I double dog dare you.

[terrorislamj]

HUSSEIN BELONGED TO A CHURCH THAT DIVIDES US RATHER THAN UNITE US,,,

HUSSEIN STAFFS HIS CAMPAIGN WITM MEMBERS OF THE NEW BLACK PANTHER PARTY THAT DIVIDES US RATHER THAN UNITES US,,,

HUSSEIN STAFFS HIS CAMPAIGN WITM MEMBERS OF THE NATION OF TERRORISLAM THAT DIVIDES US RATHER THAN UNITES US,,,

HUSSEIN IS A RACIST WHICH DIVIDES US RATHER THAN UNITES US,,,

[terrorislami]

FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM IS THE PROBLEM,,,

DEMONIC-RAT HUSSEIN IS NOT THE SOLUTION,,,

[terrorislami]

YOU DO NOT LIKE THE USA IN THE MIDDLE EAST,,,

BLAME THE DEMONIC-RATS,,,

THE DEMONIC-RAT DOCTRINE,,,

On February 16, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said the "the defense of Saudi Arabia is vital to the defense of the United States." On February 14, 1945, while returning from the Yalta Conference, Roosevelt met with King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia on the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal, the first time a U.S. president had visited the Persian Gulf region.

The Carter Doctrine was a policy proclaimed by President of the United States Jimmy Carter in his State of the Union Address on 23 January 1980, which stated that the United States would use military force if necessary to defend its national interests in the Persian Gulf region. The doctrine was a response to the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, and was intended to deter the Soviet Union%u2014the Cold War adversary of the United States%u2014from seeking hegemony in the Persian Gulf. After stating that Soviet troops in Afghanistan posed "a grave threat to the free movement of Middle East oil," Carter proclaimed:

Let our position be absolutely clear: An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force. (full speech)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_Doctrine

[terrorislami]

DEMONIC-RAT PLAN TO LOWER GAS PRICES,,,

do nothing,,,, like they have for years,,, hussein says he wants high gas prices,,, gore said so too back in 1993,,,

if you want a baby,,, you have to f''k,,, yes it still will take 9 months,,,

if you want oil,,, you have to DRILL,,,

NORWAY had a huge find off their coast,,, they are oil independent now,,,

brazil had two huge oil finds off their coast,,,

DEMONIC-RATS will let CHINA drill off the usa coast before it allows the usa to,,,

talk about putting party before country,,,

DEMONIC-RATS are the wrong way and the wrong change,,,

[slim1h2o]

When Power enters your mind this is what occurs all logic disappears
Posted by starleo14672 at 01:36 PM : Jun 30, 2008

Yes, I believe you''re right.

Some shrinks would say,,visions of grandeur. I bet. He''s definitely a megalomaniac

[starleo146]

osted by starleo14672 at 12:55 PM : Jun 30, 2008

When they 1st invaded with about 150.000 troops, I said that would not be enough to take over a country with 26 million people with any kind of success.

And I do know that we had the other countries with us that provided troops as well,,but we had the lionshare of the troops.

I think they should have listened to me I guess. Also,on a side note,,I read in the local paper that Shrubb wants 58 bases in Iraq, a country that''''s the about the size of Texas! Are they nuts,,or what?

Posted by slim1h2o at 01:33 PM : Jun 30, 2008

When Power enters your mind this is what occurs all logic disappears

[slim1h2o]

Posted by starleo14672 at 12:55 PM : Jun 30, 2008

When they 1st invaded with about 150.000 troops, I said that would not be enough to take over a country with 26 million people with any kind of success.

And I do know that we had the other countries with us that provided troops as well,,but we had the lionshare of the troops.

I think they should have listened to me I guess. Also,on a side note,,I read in the local paper that Shrubb wants 58 bases in Iraq, a country that''s the about the size of Texas! Are they nuts,,or what?

[starleo146]

This story is about IRAQ but like all posts it becomes a place for Democrats to vent thier Anger and Hate at anything American. The polls show McCain ahead on trust because O''''Bama has played to whatever evil political interest group he is getting votes fr0m.

Posted by demslie2u at 10:18 AM : Jun 30, 2008


can anyone tell me how much experience Bush had when he was elected and mc Bush follows his every game plan

[bigsk8fan]

george w bush caught in yet another republican mistake. i bet no one is surprised by that!

[brianp55]

We should also not forget that the problems resulting from this arrogant understaffing were compounded greatly by the fumbling of Jerry Bremer. Among his other dubious accomplishments, Jerry''s insightful disbanding of the Iraqi army turned loose thousands of disgruntled army personnel who were looking to settle a grudge.

[starleo146]

Does anyone remember?...General Shensheki said this right from the very beginning!!...and Bush Retired (Fired) him!! Why don''''t Politicians lISTEN to the Generals?

Posted by jjarden at 12:24 PM : Jun 30, 2008
+ report

Yep, you are right and for months they said no plan, not enough troops 5 years later Petraeus everyone knows the pentagon has no voice, only the secretary of defense, and commander in chief, look what they are doing now with Pakistan, and Iran, don''t forget Cheney was, under daddy Bush, secretary of defense, and his paws are in this deep

[starleo146]

Oops .. the Rumsfeld neo-con doctrine wrong; the Powell doctrine right. Bush said he would listen to the military and he hasn''''t since the beginning. Either criminal, impeachable, or treasonous behavior ... you choose.

Posted by afmca at 12:37 PM : Jun 30, 2008

They are doing it all over again in Afghanistan I guess another five years we will see it.Unless Obama get in .How long is it now we went into Afghanistan I just lost all purpose of time, between Irag and Afghanistan. Did we not go there first, had it under control, and pulled a lot of troops out to go to Iraq. LOrdy Lordy how deep this well is getting.

[afmca]

Oops .. the Rumsfeld neo-con doctrine wrong; the Powell doctrine right. Bush said he would listen to the military and he hasn''t since the beginning. Either criminal, impeachable, or treasonous behavior ... you choose.

[jjarden]

Does anyone remember?...General Shensheki said this right from the very beginning!!...and Bush Retired (Fired) him!! Why don''t Politicians lISTEN to the Generals?

[terrorislami]

FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM IS THE PROBLEM,,,

DEMONIC-RAT HUSSEIN IS NOT THE SOLUTION,,,

[terrorislami]

YOU DO NOT LIKE THE USA IN THE MIDDLE EAST,,,

BLAME THE DEMONIC-RATS,,,

THE DEMONIC-RAT DOCTRINE,,,

On February 16, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said the "the defense of Saudi Arabia is vital to the defense of the United States." On February 14, 1945, while returning from the Yalta Conference, Roosevelt met with King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia on the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal, the first time a U.S. president had visited the Persian Gulf region.

The Carter Doctrine was a policy proclaimed by President of the United States Jimmy Carter in his State of the Union Address on 23 January 1980, which stated that the United States would use military force if necessary to defend its national interests in the Persian Gulf region. The doctrine was a response to the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, and was intended to deter the Soviet Union%u2014the Cold War adversary of the United States%u2014from seeking hegemony in the Persian Gulf. After stating that Soviet troops in Afghanistan posed "a grave threat to the free movement of Middle East oil," Carter proclaimed:

Let our position be absolutely clear: An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force. (full speech)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_Doctrine

[navyjimfl]

no f**king wonder the americans got beat in Vietnam and have failed in Iraq and Afghanistan Posted by Nelson5716

maybe you forgot the French got run out of Vietnam also

[notblue]

talkingham, I see you are a leftwing hindsite genious too!