Did counterinsurgency work in Iraq?

Brian M Downing Most accounts of the Second Iraq War (2003-11) attach great importance to counterinsurgency programs in ending the conflict there. The shift from using heavy firepower to winning hearts and minds is said to have created a “Sunni Awakening,” which changed the course of the war and brought Read More …

The surge and counterinsurgency in Iraq

Brian M Downing  In recent months, the George W Bush administration has been touting successes in Iraq, and polling data show a modest increase in US public support for the war. Various reports on the war will be released in the next week or so, the interpretations of which will Read More …