Signaling resolve, democratization, and the first battle of Fallujah

Perceptions and efforts to signal resolve can play an important role in counterinsurgency. The Coalition offensive against Fallujah in April 2004 demonstrates the limitations of relying on military force to signal resolve. The offensive catalyzed insurgent violence in Iraq and generated popular supp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of strategic studies 2006-06, Vol.29 (3), p.423-452
Main Author: Malkasian, Carter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Armed Forces
Coalitions
Counterinsurgency
Democracy
Democratization
Fallujah
Insurgency
Invasions
Iraq
Iraq War-2003
Military
Military intervention
Rebellions
Signaling
Strategic studies
Violence
Warfare
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Summary:Perceptions and efforts to signal resolve can play an important role in counterinsurgency. The Coalition offensive against Fallujah in April 2004 demonstrates the limitations of relying on military force to signal resolve. The offensive catalyzed insurgent violence in Iraq and generated popular support for the insurgency. The Coalition prematurely halted the offensive because the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) could not maintain support for the Coalition in the face of popular outrage. Given the importance of democratizing Iraq and establishing a sovereign government, the objections of the IGC could not be ignored. Without Iraqi political support, military force ultimately signaled weakness instead of resolve.
ISSN:0140-2390
1743-937X
DOI:10.1080/01402390600765843