ABSTRACT
Definitions of military innovation are not yet settled, but in general, innovation is considered to have occurred when three components can be observed: organizational change, significant scope and impact, and increased military effectiveness. A key sign that the broader military institution places a high value on the special operations forces (SOF) understanding of warfare, and the role it played in Iraq, is the diffusion of SOF tactics and models of operation among conventional forces. The explanatory theories of military change that are rooted in militaries as institutions are more applicable to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Surge was in a real sense an attempt to diffuse SOF tactics and philosophies, albeit at a simplified level, throughout the Iraqi theater. Training Iraqi police and armed forces was a key goal of the Surge, on the assumption that a sustainable government with the ability to ensure both domestic and national security would allow a Coalition withdrawal.
