ABSTRACT
The US had to pressure the Iraqi government to reach an agreement among warring factions that could create some sense of stability in the country, and the most effective means of doing this was through a phased redeployment. This redeployment could be temporarily suspended if the Iraqi government meets the security, political, and economic benchmarks to which it has committed. The White House had also pledged that the Iraqis "would soon stand up so we could stand down and the brave sons and daughters could start coming home". The US troop surge merely entailed a tactical adjustment, not a plan for success, Obama stated, and as long as America remained anchored in Iraq, the Iraqis would not make the political progress necessary to end their civil war. While Operation Iraqi Freedom was over, Operation New Dawn would begin.
