The document provides background information on the Iraq war and lessons learned. It discusses Iraq's geography, population, military forces and the build-up to the 2003 war. It then details the coalition forces involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom and provides a timeline of key events from the initial air campaign on March 19th to coalition forces reaching the outskirts of Baghdad by early April. The document aims to recap the reasons, conditions and conduct of the war against Iraq to facilitate a discussion of lessons learned.

1. IRAQ WAR AND
ITS LESSONS
11/28/13
1

2. INTRO
 STUDY OF MILITARY HISTORY.
 THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY.
 LESSONS FOR US.
11/28/13
2

3. AIM
 TO BRIEFLY RECAPITULATE
REASONS,CONDITIONS AND
CONDUCT OF WAR AGAINST IRAQ.
 FACILITATED BY ABOVE ,TO DISCUSS
THE LESSONS LEARNT(AS FWD BY GS
BRANCH).
11/28/13
3

4. PREVIEW
 PART1
TO
 PART2
 PART3
 PART4
11/28/13
GEN INFO ABOUT IRAQ
AND BACKGROUND
WAR
ORBAT OF THE FORCES
OP IRAQI FREEDOM
LESSONS LEARNT
4

5. PART 1
GEN INFO ABOUT
IRAQ AND
BACKGROUND TO
WAR
11/28/13
5

6. IRAQ
 POLITICALLY
MADE UP OF 18
REGIONAL DIVISIONS.IMP ONES
BEING BAGHDAD,BASRA ,TIKRIT AND
KIRKUIK
11/28/13
6

7. 11/28/13
7

8. NEIGHBOURS
 IRAN
 KUWAIT
 SAUDI ARABIA
 JORDAN
 SYRIA
 TURKEY
11/28/13
8

9. 11/28/13
9

10. TERRAIN
 AREA
437,521 SQ KMS.
 BROAD DESERT PLAINS.
 LARGE FLOODED AREAS ALONG
SOUTHERN BORDERS.
 MOUNTAINS ALONG NORTHERN
BORDERS.
11/28/13
10

11. 11/28/13
11

12. POPULATION
 24 MILLION.
 MAJORITY ARE SHIA MUSLIM BUT
POLITICAL ELITE ARE SUNNI.
 KURDS.
11/28/13
12

13. 11/28/13
13

14. 11/28/13
14

15. 11/28/13
15

16. BACKGROUND TO WAR
 UN SANCTIOINS SINCE 1990 KUWAIT
INVASION.
 SANCTIONS BANNED ALL EXPORTS
EXCEPT OIL FOR FOOD PGME.
11/28/13
16

17. 1991
 SHIITE MUSLIM IN SOUTHERN IRAQ
REBELLED.DEFEATED BY
REPUBLICAN GUARD.
 KURDISH INSURRECTION ALSO
DEFEATED.
 US CREATED SAFE HAVEN FOR
KURDS N OF 36 PARALLEL.NO FLY
ZONE.
11/28/13
17

18. 1992
 UN EST NO FLY Z ALONG 32
PARALLEL AFTER FRESH ATTACKS
ON SHIITE MUSLIMS.
 IN DEC US PLANES SHOT DOWN AN
IRAQI PLANE FOR VIOLATING NO FLY
Z.
11/28/13
18

19. 1993
 US ACCUSED IRAQ OF MOV MSLS IN
SOUTHERN IRAQ.
 ALLIED PLANES ATTACKED MSL SITES
AND A NUC FACILITY NEAR BAGHDAD.
 IN JUN 24 CRUISE MSL FIRED AT A INT
HQ IN BAGHDAD.
11/28/13
19

20. 1994
 SADDAM MOVED TPS TO IRAQI
BORDER.
 WITHDREW AFTER US DPLY A
CARRIER GP ,PLANES AND 54000 TPS
IN PERSIAN GULF REGION.
11/28/13
20

21. 1996
 SADDAM SENT FORCES INTO
NORTHERN IRAQ AND CAPTURED
KURDISH CITY OF IRBIL.
 US SHIPS AND AIR PLANES ATTACKED
MIL TGTS TO PUNISH IRAQI MILITARY.
11/28/13
21

22. 1997
 IRAQ ACCUSED US MEMBERS OF UN MSN
OF BEING SPIES AND EXPELLED MAJORITY
OF US PARTICIPANTS.
 UN SECURITY COUNCIL THREATENED
RENEWED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.
 INSPECTORS READMITTED AFTER US & UK
BEGAN A MIL BUILD UP IN GULF.
 IN NOV IRAQ ANNOUNCED IT WILL NOT
ALLOW INSPECTORS INTO SITES
DESIGNATED AS PALACES AND OFFICIAL
RESIDENCES.
11/28/13
22

23. 1998
 TENSIONS THAT BEGUN IN 1997
CONTINUED.
 KOFI ANNAN WORKED OUT BAN
AGREEMENT TO RESUME WPNS
INSPECTIONS.
 IRAQ RECD PROMISE THAT UN WILL
CONSIDER LIFTING SANCTIONS.
 INSPECTIONS CONTINUED INTO AUG WHEN
IRAQ CUT TIES WITH INSPECTORS
CLAIMING IT HAS SEEN NO UN MOV
TOWARDS LIFTING SANCTIONS.
11/28/13
23

24. A RENEWED MIL BUILD UP IN GULF.
 ON DEC 16 US & UK BEGAN A
MASSIVE AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST
KEY MIL TGTS.

11/28/13
24

25. 1999
 IRAQI PLANES VIOLATING NO FLY Z
ATTACKED.
 IRAQI AD SITES ALSO ATTACKED.
11/28/13
25

26. 2000
 IN NOV 2000 PRESIDENT BUSH CAME
TO POWER.
 HE SIGNALLED A NEW GET TOUGH
POLICY ON IRAQ.
11/28/13
26

27. 2001
 COALITION AC
STRIKE IRAQI AD AND
RADAR SITES.
 THESE ATTACKS CONTINUED
THROUGH OUT THE YEAR.
 SEP 11,2001.
11/28/13
27

28. 2001-2002
 OP ENDURING FREEDOM SUCCEEDED IN
DESTROYING TALIBAN & AL QAIDA
NETWORK IN AFGHANISTAN.
 BUSH ACCUSED IRAQ OF SP AL QAIDA AND
LABELED IRAQ AS PART OF AN AXIS OF
EVIL.
 ON NOV 98 2002, UN SECURITY COUNCIL
PASSED RESOLUTION 1441 CALLING
SAADDAM TO DISBAND ALL WPNS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION OR FACE SERIOUS
CONSEQUENCES.
11/28/13
28

29. 2003
 US STARTED BUUILDING SP FOR WAR
AGAINST IRAQ.
 WORLD DIVIDED IN ITS REACTION.
 PROTESTS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
 US & UK PRESSED FOR NEW
RESOLUTION AUTH MIL ACTION AGAINST
IRAQ.FRANCE & RUSSIA OPPOSED IT.
THE RESOLUTION NEVER CAME.
 WASHINGTON AND LONDON ARGUED
THAT PREVIOUS RESOLUTION ON IRAQ
GAVE THE AUTH TO USE MIL FORCE TO
DISARM IRAQ.
11/28/13
29

30.  BOTH SIDES MOBILIZEED THEIR
FORCES AND COALITION TPS
INDUCTED INTO GULF REGION.
 US GAVE AN ULTIMATUM OF TWO
WEEKS TO SADDAM AND HIS SONS
TO LEAVE.
 MAR 19 2003- INSPITE OF
DIFFERENCES IN UN SECURITY
COUNCIL,US STARTED WAR AGAINST
IRAQ ON TERMINATION OF
ULTIMATUM TO SADDAM.
11/28/13
30

31. PART 2
ORBAT OF FORCES
11/28/13
31

32. IRAQI LAND FORCES
11/28/13
32

33. SPECIAL REPUBLICAN GUARD
 BASE
 PERS
 UNITS
UNIT
 WPNS
TANKS
11/28/13
BAGHDAD
15000
FOUR INF BDES,AN ARMD
UNIT AND AN AD
ARMD UNITS OP T 72
33

34. REPUBLICAN GUARDS
 DIVIDED INTO TWO CORPS
 NORTHERN CORPS
 BASE
AROUND NORTHERN
BAGHDAD
AND TIKRIT
 UNITS
MEDINA ARMD DIV,ADNAN MECH
DIV NEBUCHADNEZZAR INF
DIV
 SOUTHERN
 BASE
 UNITS
ARMD
11/28/13
CORPS
SOUTHERN BAGHDAD
AL NIDA ARMD DIV,HAMMURABI
DIV & BAGHDAD INF DIV
34

35. REG LAND FORCES
 1 CORPS
BASE
ARND KIRKUK
UNITS
5 MECH DIV,2INF DIV,8 INF DIV
& 38 INF DIV
DUTIES
ALONG WITH REPUBLICAN
GUARD,1 CORPS
GUARDED
THE
NORTHERN PORTION OF
IRAQ NEAR THE N NO FLY Z.
11/28/13
35

36.  2 CORPS
BASE
NORTH EAST OF BAGHDAD.
 3 CORPS
BASE
SOUTHERN IRAQ
DUTIES
3 CORPS PROTECTS THE
ROUTE
ALONG THR
EUPHRATES RIVER
THAT
LEADS TO KUWAIT
THROUGH THE SOUTHERN
CITY OF BASRA.
11/28/13
36

37.  4 CORPS
BASE
UNITS
DUTIES
END
NORTH EAST OF BAGHDAD.
10 ARMD DIV,14 & 18 INF
DIV
GUARDED THE SOUTHERN
OF BORDER WITH IRAN.
 5 CORPS
BASE
DUTIES
11/28/13
AROUND MOSUL IN N IRAQ.
GUARDED THE NORTHERN
PART OF THE COUNTRY.
37

38. IRAQI AIR FORCES
 STATUS
THE GULF WAR 1
SUBSEQUENT
EMBARGO
IRAQ’S AIR
AND
UN
CRIPPLED
FORCE.
 TOTAL PLANES 300-350
 % OP
50-60%
11/28/13
38

39. IRAQI AIR DEFENCE COMD
 MED RG SAM
300
 SHORT RG SAM 300-400
 AAA GUNS
4000
11/28/13
39

40. THE COALITION FORCES
 USCENTCOMS AOR INCL 25
CULTURALLY AND ECONOMICALLY
DIVERSE NATIONS LOCATED
THROUGH OUT THE HORN OF
AFRICA,SOUTH AND CENTRAL
ASIA,AND NORTHERN RED SEA
REGIONS AS WELL AS THE ARABIAN
PENINSULA AND IRAQ,.
11/28/13
40

41. ARMY FORCES: CENT COMD
 3 INF DIV
 101 AIR BORNE DIV
 82 AIR BORNE DIV
 1 CAV DIV
 1 INF DIV
 1 ARMD DIV
 10 MTN DIV
 4 INF DIV
 173 AIR BORNE DIV
11/28/13
41

42. MARINES
 1 MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
 2 MARINE EXPEDITIONARY BDE
 15 MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT
 24 MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT
 26 MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT
11/28/13
42

43. BRITISH FORCES
 1 UK ARMD DIV
 7 ARMD BVDE
 16 AIR ASLT BDE
 102 LGS BDE
11/28/13
43

44. PART 3
OP IRAQI
FREEDOM
11/28/13
44

45. OP IRAQI FREEDOM
SHOCK & AWE TACTICS
11/28/13
45

46. 11/28/13
46

47.  MAR 19-20
5:34 LOCAL TIME IN BAGHDAD THE
COALITION AIR FORCES COMMENCED
THEIR BOMBING CAMPAIGN.
 MAR 21
BOMBING CONTINUED.
1500 TURKISH SOLDIERS CROSSED INTO
NORTHERN IRAQ.
 MAR 22
US FORCES CONTINUED STREAMING
INTO IRAQ.
11/28/13
47

48.  MAR 23
OPS TO SECURE UMM QASR CONTINUED.
US ADV NORTH CONTINUED BUT STIFF
RESISTANCE IN SOME LOC INCL AL
NASIRIYAH.
HY FIGHTING OUTSIDE AL NASIRIYAH.
TASK FORCE TARAWA ENTERED THE
CITY AND WERE ENGAGED IN STREET
FIGHTING.
3 INF DIV CONTINUED ITS ADV TOWARDS
BAGHDAD AND CAME WITHIN 100 MILES
OF CITY.
BRITISH FORCES ADV TOWARDS BASRA
WHILE US FORCES ADV NORTH.
11/28/13
48

49.  MAR 24
 US
FORCES ADV BEYOND AL NASIRIYAH
 BASRA AIR PORT SECURED.
 AIR RAIDS AGAINST IRAQI CAPITAL AND
MOSUL.
 MAR
25
US MARINES CROSSED THE EUPHRATES
RIVER.
 AIR RAIDS.

 MAR
3
26
INF DIV FOUGHT TO ENCIRCLE NAJAF.
 100 IRAQI CAS IN VICINITY OF NAJAF.
 A COLMN OF 70-160 IRAQI TKS
ATTEMPTED TO BREAK OUT OF
BASRA.RUNNING BATTLE ENSUED.
11/28/13
49

50.  NORTHERN FRONT
1000 PARA TPS FROM 173 AIRBORNE BDE
DROPPED INTO A STRATEGIC AIR FIELD
IN KURDISH CONTROLLED TERRITORRY.
 MAR 27
LEAD ELEMERNTS FROM 3 INF DIV APCH
KARBALA.
TO THE SOUTH, ELEMENTS OF SAME DIV
CONTINUED TO FIGHT IRAQI TPS IN
NAJAF.

11/28/13
50

51.  MAR 28
 APACHE
HEPTRS ATTACKED MEDINA DIV
IN KARBLA.
 MAR

29
COUNTER INSURGENCY ACTIVITY IN AND
AROUND NASIRIYAH.
 MAR
30
 THREE
REPUBLICAN GUARD DIV
DEFENDED THE APCHS TO
BAGHDAD.MEDINA DIV TO SOUTH,AL NIDA
DIV TO EAST AND BAGHDAD DIV FURTHER
EAST AROUND THE CITY OF KUT.
 US 3 INF DIV MASSED ON SOUTHERN
REACHES OF BAGHDAD.1 MARINE DIV
APCH FROM SOUTH EAST.
11/28/13
51

52.  KARBALA
3 INF DIV PUSHED TO HILLA SOUTH EAST
OF KARBALA.
 APR 1
HY AIR STRIKES.
STREET TO STREET FIGHTING IN
DIWANIYA.
 APR 2
US FORCES MOVED WITHIN 50 KM OF
BAGHDAD.
NEAR KUT MARINES DESTROYED THE
BAGHDAD DIV OF REPUBLICAN GUARD.
11/28/13
52

53.  APR 3-4
3 INF DIV CAPTURED PORTIONS OF
SADDAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
 APR 5-6
TWO BN SIZED TASK FORCES OF 3 INF
DIV LAUNCHED RAIDS INTO DOWNTOWN
BAGHDAD.
 APR 7-8
MORE FORCES PUSHED INTO
DOWNTOWN BAGHDAD.
ON EAST OF BAGHDAD 1 MARINE DIV
COMPLETED XG DIYALA RIVER.
11/28/13
53

54.  APR 9-10
1 MARINE DIV MOVING THROUGH
BAGHDAD FROM EAST LINKED UP WITH 3
INF DIV.
IN NORTHERN IRAQ 173 AIRBORNE BDE
WITH KURDS ENTERED KIRKUK.
 APR11-12
LOOTING ON STREETS OF BAGHDAD AND
KIRKUK.
IN NORTH IRAQI FORCES FLED MOSUL.
11/28/13
54

55.  APR 13
MARINES ENTERED TIKRIT.
 APR 14
ON 26 th DAY OF COMBAT OPS A US
MARINE TASK FORCE CAPTURED TIKRIT
BRINGING THE LAST MAJ BASTION OF
HUSSEIN UINDER COALITION CONTROL.
11/28/13
55

56. PART 4
LESSONS
LEARNT
11/28/13
56

57. GEN
 OVERWHELMING SUPERIORITY.
 INCREDIBLE DEMO OF TECHNOLOGY.
SVL.
COMN.
EW.
WEAPONRY.
AMN.
EQPT
11/28/13
57

58. LESSONS IN URBAN WARFARE
 MVRE RATHER THAN FIGHTING ON
TRADITIONAL TERMS.
 FORCE THE DEFENDER TO MVRE AND
MOV OUTSIDE OF CITIES.
11/28/13
58

59. LESSONS RELATED TO COMN
 CONCEPT VS TECHNOLOGY.
 QTY PROBLEMS.
 PERS ROLE RADIOS.
 IRIDIUM PHONES.
 INSTANT TEXT MESSAGING
CAPABILITY.
11/28/13
59

60. LESSONS RELATRED TO EQPT
 DUST ABATEMENT.
 LONG RG THERMAL IMAGER.
 5.56 VS 7.62 LETHALITY.
 WATER PURFICATION AND STORAGE.
 SMALL ARMS PROTECTIVE INSERT.
 PHRASE –LATER.
11/28/13
60

61. LESSONS RELATED TO SPECIAL
FORCES
 TECHNOLOGY.
 QUALITY OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
11/28/13
61

62. C4ISR
 IMP OF HONING C4ISR.
 PROCEDURE AND BUREAUCRACY.
11/28/13
62

63. SPACE WAR
 SPACE AND COMN.
 IMP OF GPS.
 GPS JAMMERS AND COUNTER
MEASURES.
11/28/13
63

64. IMP OF HUMAN RESOURCES
 OPENNESS.
 COMB EXPERIENCE.
 QUALITY OF JR LDRSHIP.
 MORALE AND MOTIVATION.
11/28/13
64

65. LESSONS RELATED TO
SUSTENANCE
 AE REFUELLING.
 PACKAGING AND USE OF
TRANSPONDERS.
 SIT AWARENESS.
 PROTECTION.
11/28/13
65

66. MISC MINOR BUT IMP
LESSONS
 STR AND VULNERABILITY OF INF.
FEAR OF UNKNOWN.
DISMTD INF.
WEATHER AND MORALE.
FINDING THE EN.
NEED FOR REST.
PROBLEM OF SURRENDER.
11/28/13
66

67. ISSUES RELATED TO
ENGAGEMENTS
 IRAQI DEFS.
 MIN NI OPS.
 USE OF ATTACK HEPTRS.
 LIGHT ANTI TK VEH.
 USE OF UAVs.
 SNIPERS.
11/28/13
67

68. COORD AND FIRE DISCP
 LACK OF COMMON INT.
 BATTLE CONFUSION.
 COORD BETWEEN MECH OP AND INF.
 FIRE DISCP.
 FRIENDLY FIRE.
11/28/13
68

69. CAS AND CAS EVAC
 CAS PATTERN.
 CAS EVAC.
11/28/13
69

70. ISSUES RELATED TO SUP AND
CVYS.
 LGS.
 CVYS.
11/28/13
70

71. LESSONS LEARNT
 NEW TECH EMP BY THE US FORCES
FOR FIBUA.
 IMP OF INSTITUTIONALISED TRG.
 INCORPORATION OF NEW SVL
DEVICES IN TRG.
 EMPHASIS ON QUICK REACTION
SHOOTING.
 FAMILIARITY WITH NEW
SOPHISTICATED EQPT.
11/28/13
71

72. THANK YOU
11/28/13
VSS 72