The Battle of Fallujah

I was deployed to Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo when Operation Iraqi Freedom kicked off. I remember wondering how this war would affect my life or the direction of my career and unit. In March of 2003 I found out. Because of the war, our replacements, already having been trained for real world action, were sent to Iraq, extending my already long six month tour to ten. The start and end of that war, as a whole, had its effects on not just me and my unit, as I was deployed there twice, but on the whole world. The outcome of a war can be explained one way or the other. The effects of which can echo throughout the ages. But the battles that bring you to the wars conclusion are the building blocks to the character of that war. One such battle that helped define the character of Operation Iraqi Freedom was the first battle for Fallujah also known as Operation Vigilant Resolve.

Fallujah is a city in the Al Anbar Province. It sits on the Euphrates River about 35 miles west of Baghdad. When the war kicked off in March 2003 US Forces left Fallujah, for the most part, alone. They figured it had no real tactical advantage and so, while keeping it under the supervision and control of the 82nd Airborne Division, did not try to take the city. Before the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) took over control of the Al Anbar Province on 24 March 2004 Fallujah had started to, “gain a reputation as one of the more dangerous cities in Iraq,” Gerald says (pg 8) (Gerald, 2009).

Fallujah’s reputation was easily won. On top of the constant attacks on US personnel there where multiple other events which helped lead to Fallujah’s instability before the I MEF took over. These events include: the deaths of 15 Iraq...

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...n Iraqi face on the controllers of the city and Iraq quickly learned they could not bring Fallujah under control under their own power. Because of the lack preparation and coordination with Iraq the political situation proved to be too damaging. The situation turned out to have the opposite effect that America had intended. Instead of showing resolve it showed weakness and the Arab press exploited that turning the situation into a rally call to all to fight against the coalition. With things getting worse in Fallujah and with Iraqi concern and cooperation, in November they would have to go back into Fallujah to finish what they started in what was called Operation New Dawn (Gerald, 2009).

Works Cited

Major Gerald De Lira Jr. USMC. The Anger of a Great Nation: Operation Vigilant Resolve. http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a509044.pdf. http:DTIC.mil. 2009