Background of the Iraq War Study

The effort to conduct a comprehensive study of the Iraq War was initiated in 2013 by General Odierno, who recognized the need to document the war while memories were still fresh. He aimed to create an accessible and approachable narrative rather than a dense, technical account, reflecting lessons learned from Vietnam. A diverse team of military officers with varied combat experiences was assembled to ensure comprehensive coverage of the war's complexities, and the project's objective was to create a foundational history to prevent repeating past mistakes. This initial directive emphasized the importance of capturing the nuances of special operations, as well as broader military strategy and political interactions throughout the conflict.