The Conflict The Iraq War ( 2003-2010 ) - 2301 Words

The Nature of the Conflict: The Iraq War (2003-2010) by Barry J. DeLisle NIU Class 2017 Unclassified - submitted to the faculty of the National Intelligence University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for MCR 615. May 22, 2016 Word Count: 2364 The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, the U.S. Navy Reserve, or the U.S. Government The Nature of the Conflict: The Iraq War (2003-2010) Determining the nature of the conflict is a crucial first step in understanding what is required to develop an effective strategy. Iraq presented the United States with a highly complex, complicated, and challenging environment to fully understand and assess. The longstanding religious conflicts, unequal wealth distribution, limited economic development, disenfranchised young male population, presence of terrorism, and a multitude of other factors increased the difficulty of assessing the battlefield in Iraq. Any change to the status quo could lead to second and third order effects, which would only further convolute the situation in Iraq. Clausewitz once stated, â€Å"The nature of war is complex and changeable,† and the battlefield in Iraq was no exception. In order for the United States Administration to develop an effective strategy, a solid understanding of the nature of the conflict was required. 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