In 2008, U.S. and Iraqi forces defeated an uprising in Sadr City, a district of Baghdad with ~2.4 million residents. Coalition forces' success in this battle helped consolidate the Government of Iraq's authority, contributing significantly to the attainment of contemporary U.S. operational objectives in Iraq. U.S. forces' conduct of the battle illustrates a new paradigm for urban combat and indicates capabilities the Army will need in the future.
Download
Download eBook for Free
Full Document
| Format | File Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PDF file | 8.7 MB | Best for desktop computers. Use Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher for the best experience. |
| ePub file | 9.4 MB | Best for mobile devices. On desktop computers and some mobile devices, you may need to download an eBook reader to view ePub files. Calibre is an example of a free and open source e-book library management application. |
| mobi file | 16.9 MB | Best for Kindle 1-3. On desktop computers and some mobile devices, you may need to download an eBook reader to view mobi files. Amazon Kindle is the most popular reader for mobi files. |
Summary Only
| Format | File Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PDF file | 0.7 MB | Use Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher for the best experience. |
Research Synopsis
| Format | File Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PDF file | 0.2 MB | Use Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher for the best experience. |
Purchase
Purchase Print Copy
| Format | List Price | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add to Cart | Paperback164 pages | $37.50 | $30.00 20% Web Discount |
Research Questions
- What was the full story of the Battle of Sadr City?
- What are its implications for the U.S. Army in terms of the conduct of future urban operations?
In late March 2008, a Shi'a uprising in Baghdad's Sadr City district challenged the authority of the Government of Iraq (GoI) at its heart. The Jaish al Mahdi (JAM) overran GoI outposts in the district and barraged the International Zone with short-range rockets. The eruption of violence threatened to draw U.S. forces into a battle in a closely packed urban area inhabited by an estimated 2.4 million people, many of whom strongly supported the GoI's main antagonist, Moqtada al-Sadr. U.S. casualties and collateral damage could have been substantial. Instead, through innovative tactics combining high-technology airborne surveillance and strike, elements of siege warfare and vigorous exploitation through civil military operations, coalition forces managed to subdue the uprising with minimum loss to U.S. forces and the civilian population. Success in this battle solidified Iraqi government control over all of Baghdad and throughout Iraq, creating conditions that enabled the United States to realize contemporary operational objectives in Iraq. The authors present the first full operational analysis of the battle and distill insights and lessons that can inform a broader understanding of urban operations, particularly those conducted as part of irregular warfare. This new paradigm can help the Army focus on what capabilities it will need in the future for such operations.
Key Findings
U.S. forces evolved a concept of operations for controlling an urban insurgency.
- The concept of operation involved isolating an area of operations with concrete T-walls, providing access control.
- Access control would ultimately enable U.S. forces to set the tempo of operations and methodically capture or kill insurgent leaders through targeted raids.
Conditions on the eve of battle favored U.S. forces and their Iraqi allies.
- Much of the overall insurgency had been neutralized.
- U.S. forces had trained appropriately prior to deployment.
- The active portion of the insurgency was weakened in key ways.
- The urban terrain allowed good use of U.S. technical advantages.
After hard fighting early in the battle, each side retained advantages and disadvantages.
- U.S. forces seized key enemy rocket-launch sites early in the battle.
- However, insurgents still enjoyed considerable freedom of movement making allied forces vulnerable to attack from unsecured portions of Sadr City.
The allied construction of the wall along a key route changed the dynamics of the battle.
- Insurgents, their freedom of movement rapidly disappearing, were drawn into battle on disadvantageous terms.
- Allied forces continued and improved suppression of enemy rocket fires.
- The Iraqi Army enjoyed increasing success in conducting operations on its own.
- The leader of the uprising offered a cease-fire, though many individuals kept fighting.
U.S. commanders moved quickly to exploit the success of battle.
- U.S. forces launched an ambitious program of reconstruction intended to convince Sadr City's population to transfer its loyalties to the Government of Iraq.
- The last remaining insurgency fighters came under increasingly destructive attack.
Recommendations
- Protecting the population requires a balance between offensive, defensive, and stability operations.
- Persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; technical intelligence; and precision-strike capabilities enable the attacker to seize the initiative.
- Technical capabilities must enable decentralized decisionmaking and small-unit initiative.
- Isolating the enemy enables the counterinsurgent to seize the initiative.
- Ground maneuver remains indispensable for shaping the battle and achieving decision.
- Heavy armored forces have enduring utility in counterinsurgency and urban operations.
- Integrating special operations forces into conventional operations achieves synergy.
- Snipers remain an important enabler in urban operations.
- Enduring success depends on capable indigenous security forces.
- Urban counterinsurgency requires forces to transition rapidly between offensive, defensive, and stability operations.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Introduction
Chapter Two
Setting Conditions for the 2008 Battle
Chapter Three
Conditions on the Eve of the Battle of Sadr City
Chapter Four
The Battle Begins
Chapter Five
Defeating JAM: Operation Gold Wall
Chapter Six
Exploiting the Success of Battle
Chapter Seven
Assessing the Outcome of the Battle
Chapter Eight
Reimagining Urban Combat
Appendix
Analysis of Contemporary Arabic Language Sources on the Battle of Sadr City
Research conducted by
The research described in this report was sponsored by the United States Army and conducted by the RAND Arroyo Center.
This report is part of the RAND Corporation Research report series. RAND reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.
This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial purposes. For information on reprint and reuse permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.