the surge

The Iraq War was a conflict that began on March 20, 2003, with an invasion by a U.S.-led coalition. It had two phases: a swift conventional war in early 2003, followed by a prolonged U.S.-led occupation and an insurgency. While the initial combat phase rapidly defeated Iraqi forces, the subsequent occupation faced significant opposition.12

A key development was the surge, a controversial plan announced in January 2007 to temporarily increase U.S. troop levels by over 20,000. This surge, along with other factors like the Sunni Awakening movement and a ceasefire by Shi'i cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's forces, contributed to a decline in violence during 2007. Despite this, the ultimate success of the surge remains debated. U.S. troop withdrawal was completed by December 2011.31