Ending the U.S. War in Iraq: The Final Transition, Operational Maneuver, and Disestablishment of United States Forces-Iraq - Softcover

Over the course of the U.S. engagement in Iraq, the U.S. military managed hundreds of bases and facilities and used millions of pieces of equipment. The military not only was involved with security-related activities but also assisted in political and economic functions the host nation government or other U.S. departments would normally perform. A 2010 assessment identified that responsibility for 431 activities would need to be handed off to the government of Iraq, the U.S. embassy, U.S. Central Command, or other U.S. government departments. Ending the U.S. war in Iraq would also require redeploying over 100,000 military and civilian personnel and moving or transferring ownership of over a million pieces of property, including facilities, in accordance with U.S. and Iraqi laws, national policy, and Department of Defense requirements. This book looks at the planning and execution of this transition, using information gathered from historical documents and interviews with key players. It examines efforts to help Iraq build the capacity necessary to manage its own security absent a U.S. military presence. It also looks at the complications that arose from uncertainty over just how much of a presence the United States would continue to have beyond 2011 and how various posttransition objectives would be advanced. The authors also examine efforts to create an embassy intended to survive in a hostile environment by being entirely self-sufficient, performing missions the military previously performed. The authors draw lessons from these events that can help plan for ending future wars.

It took roughly two years to wrap up a long-term, countrywide military presence in Iraq that, at its peak, involved more than 170,000 American troops; a comparably sized army of supporting contractors; and more than 500 bases and outposts. Political, operational, bureaucratic, and fiscal challenges arose from both the U.S. and Iraqi sides, but Embassy Baghdad was prepared to undertake its primary diplomatic missions when U.S. forces departed. More than a year later, and despite hardships and political upheaval, the embassy continues to manage a multifaceted bilateral relationship that advances the shared political, economic, and strategic interests of both nations-- something that was not possible a mere ten years earlier.  This book details the history of the transition process that marked last two years of the U.S. military presence in Iraq.  While the transition process was uniquely developed for Iraq, the policy and strategic lessons learned provide important data points that can inform how to end future conflicts.