Yeah, Iraq beat Iran too.
Iraq is not battle hardened - what they have been involved in is called LOW INTENSITY CONFLICT
Iraq is not LIC. Bosnia is the LIC. Iraq was the real deal and the Iraqi vets left walking and breathing are indeed hardened combat vets that are each worth 5 or more non-hardened combat vets.
3. We invaded Iraq with 5 divisions vs Iraq’s 23. At no time did the US have ground forces larger than Iraq. The Iraqi Army decided not to fight in 2003.
5 divisions worth of the most advanced military on earth plus the most advanced navy and air force on the planet. We still walked away without any meaningful victory. They sent us packing.
4. Our departure was pure political.
once we established that there were no WMDs and once we killed Saddam Hussein, we should have left. It was politics that kept us there beyond that in the first place so of course our withdrawal was political though not purely as you have suggested, not by a long shot. The fact is, it was way past time to leave. It's a shame Bush can't take credit for it.
5. Iraq is dead meat if any of its neighbors invade. The ME politicians don’t have anti-war protestors to appease and do not have to worry about an anti-war vote...They sent what was supposed to be the most advanced military on earth packing without victory. I think they can handle their neighbors.
Nonsense, Iraq has already kicked Iran's butt once and they can do it again.
1. Strategic stalmate. Neither side gained anything after over 1 million casualties and 8 years. That was High Intensity Warfare. From June 2003 on it was LIC. Hostile actions were never larger than Bn strength. By the way, most of Vietnam is defined as LIC by professionals.
2. We made a political deal to leave. Iraq didn’t send us packing - our wimpy politicians did.
3. UN disagreed. 2010 was the official end of the UN mandate. Your option would have guaranteed Iranian ownership of Iraq.
4. Iraq broke even with Iran after 8 years of war despite receiving over 5,000 tanks, 3,000 howitzers, 1,000 jets, etc from the Soviet Union. After IRGC/Hezbollah kidnaped/killed 4 Soviet embassy personnel in early 1984, the Soviets cut off Iran and gave Iraq an open line of credit. They even took tanks from active Soviet Divisions and sent them direct to Iraq...
Without the tools, Iraq can’t win. No matter how good you are - you don’t win without the weapons needed. Sending Lancers against Panzers is just a good way to waste good troops...
There are 4 things that Iraq requires to field a credible defense, when they have these, then they will be ready:
1. Air Defense - they have nothing now. 5 Fighter Squadrons minimum. About 96 F16s according to IMoD.
2. Field Artillery - They only have 3 divisions equipped with howitzers ATT. Less than 200 howitzers. They need about 2,000.
3. ATGW. The only ATGWs they have now are 20 BTR4s equipped with Barrier. Every Battalion requires a legit anti-tank capability - otherwise they are just grease for tank treads. IA/FP/DBE Bns total over 300 - which means over 3,000 launchers including a reserve.
4. Support. A functional logistics/maintenance system including ammo supplies. Right now they have Level 2 and 4 logistics [Div and Army] - they are still forming Level 1 and 3 [Bde and Corps] and proper stocks of ammo/spares/etc.
The ISF is up to internal security - not full-scale warfare. They just don’t have the tools.
The related articles listed at the bottom of this update spell out the details.