More Than Bombing Saddam

<p>In Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) the US-led coalition employed a comprehensive strategy of leadership attack as part of its overall plan. The purpose of this study is to analyze these leadership-attack efforts and determine their effects within the overall strategy. In this work leadership attack refers to efforts designed to degrade the will and/or ability of enemy leaders to lead. It also includes actions taken to weaken the relationship between leaders and followers. Coalition officials needed an appreciation of the context of leadership attack within OIF including its history theory and the moral and legal framework surrounding it. In keeping with the political rhetoric of their leaders coalition planners designed a multifaceted leadership-attack strategy that would enable the overall effort. Throughout the operation the coalition attacked the Iraqi regime in multiple ways from highly-publicized decapitation strikes to covert attempts to dissuade Saddam's subordinate leaders to turn against him. These efforts fall into four categories. First the coalition attacked key regime leaders directly. Second coalition forces attacked Iraqi command centers and communications infrastructure. Third the coalition undermined Saddam with inducements aimed at subordinate leaders. It also communicated messages designed to drive a psychological wedge between Saddam and Iraqi soldiers on the battlefield.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>