Strategic Reflections: Operation Iraqi Freedom July 2004 - February 2007

by George W. Casey Jr.

Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom were the first major wars of the 21st century. They will not be the last. They have significantly impacted how the U.S. Government and military think about prosecuting wars. They will have a generational impact on the U.S. military, as its future leaders, particularly those in the ground forces, will for decades be men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is imperative that leaders at all levels, both military and civilian, share their experiences to ensure that we, as a military and as a country, gain appropriate insights for the future. When General George W. Casey, Jr., was the Army chief of staff, he encouraged leaders at the war colleges, staff colleges, and advanced courses to write about what they did in Iraq and Afghanistan so that others could be better prepared when they faced similar challenges. This book is General Casey’s effort to follow his own advice, offering narratives and insights about his tenure as commander of Multi-National Force–Iraq so that future leaders can be better prepared for the next conflict.

226 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

Reviews

[Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superbly written. Clearly laid out strategic lessons and easy to follow. The lessons he shares are certainly enduring with respect to fighting insurgencies, but will be relevant for years to come for leaders leading efforts in complex, uncertain environments. Chapter 6 on Insights for Leaders is superb. In this short book GEN Casey walks the leader through his tenure as MNF-I Commander from July 2004 to January 2007. Having served in Iraq from March 2005 to March 2006 I found the book extremely useful to put my experience into perspective of GEN Casey's much longer tour. As a Brigade Cdr I can vouch for his leadership first hand - from first receiving his strategic intent and plan before arrival to first meeting him at the Phoenix Academy and speaking with him regularly through my year in Iraq. My brigade's tour coincided with his second campaign plan on Transition to Self-Reliance, the constitutional referendum, the first Iraqi assembly election, a new government formation, the Samarra mosque bombing and subsequent explosion of sectarian violence.

[Darrell E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this surprisingly good. Casey skillfully refutes everything negative said about his time as the commander in Iraq without actually saying he is refuting anything. He just tells an alternate story. It is refreshingly introspective and only focuses on his 32-month tour as the commander of Multi-National Forces-Iraq. So, unlike many memoirs, there is no languishing through drawn out descriptions of childhood and college and other formative years. After reading this, there are still things that don't add up but it is a good look at the other side and he offers a view of strategic leadership and the nuances of leading a war.

[Michael Daugherty · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has nothing to do with Operation Iraqi Freedom of General Casey

This book has nothing to do with Operation Iraqi Freedom. It is not by General Casey. It is a collection of various articles by various authors about different aspects of the U.S. defense system.False advertising and false cover!

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read if you are interested in what politicians and commanders were thinking about strategy in Iraq from 2004-2009.