ABSTRACT
This chapter takes a wider view, assessing what the wars tell us about the utility of force and the conduct and character of contemporary war, identifying areas in which the United States and its allies could improve the utility of their forces, as well as key implications for military capability. Iraq and Afghanistan saw clashes of wills between actors seeking to shape events to suit their political aims. In 2006–07, US President George W. Bush demonstrated a will to win in Iraq that had deserted many of his advisers. The removal of the Taliban government from Afghanistan initially challenged US military and political capabilities; regime change in Iraq was thoroughly planned and drew upon the full range of US military capabilities.
