BS. If that were true Rumsfeld would still be SecDef. The tactics that were employed would not have been successful without the additional troops. Why would the Army increase troop strength/presence in country if they were not needed? Your theory lacks logic.
“The tactics that were employed would not have been successful without the additional troops. Why would the Army increase troop strength/presence in country if they were not needed? Your theory lacks logic.”
They wouldn’t have needed the extra troops if the tactics were used. They had to add them by the time the surge took place to regain control.
Drift diver is right. I was there during the surge, the combination of additional troops and Petraeus’ tactics relating to insurgency were the keys to success. No one can tell me different as i was out of the wire damn near every day working with Iraqi military in conjunction with our coalition forces.