When the nature of combat demands a change in strategy

In 2003, the US military deployed its combined might – all of it – to invade and "liberate" the nation of Iraq. The goal was to remove the dictator Saddam Hussein from power and eliminate the Ba'ath party that had dominated the country for decades. While the veracity of the claims that motivated this offensive, and potential ulterior intents, will be debated for years, the fact remains that there was a war effort launched to enter a sovereign nation, remove its leadership, and transition the populace to a new and different way of living.

In April of that year, the US and its allied forces launched an all-out offensive to invade Iraq. As had been done for the last 100 years or more of US military engagements, the Army mobilized on the ground after a selective bombardment had taken place and the airspace over the country had been dominated. In less than a week, nearly...