"The Inescapable Truths of Urban Warfare..." Topic

… FIVE LESSONS FROM BASRA 2007

"In 2007, UK and coalition forces in the southeastern Iraqi city of Basra faced a series of tactical challenges. Those challenges—like the ones US forces would confront that year and the next further north in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood—offer insight into some universal and enduring characteristics of urban military operations. In fact, the situations in Basra and Baghdad shared a number of characteristics, not least of which was that both the UK forces in the south and the Americans in the capital, along with their Iraqi partner forces, were battling Shia militias that, at various times, dramatically ratcheted up their levels of violent activity…."

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Amicalement
Armand

I simply don't understand why urban warfare takes place. Surround the city and either starve them out or annihilate it with artillery. The only example of urban warfare where the city itself was the prize that I can think of is Jerusalem in the six day war. Have we learned nothing from Stalingrad?

We wouldn't annihilate it with artillery as it would kill an awful lot of civilians.

mghFond has it. Too many civilians.

Also, I'm pretty sure sieges like that are against the Geneva Conventions.

Aside from the moral wrongness of specifically targetting civilians, whether for starvation by siege or violent death by artillery or other bombardment, those tactics usually turn out to be great recruitment tools for your opponent.

The same is true for torture.

All wars are political struggles. You have to win the political side as well as the military side.

Surround it, then drop leaflets all over the place promising food and shelter to unarmed civilians on their way out. Then after a few days, storm the place. A lot fewer civilian casualties that way.

A few caveats: You have to actually PROVIDE the promised food and shelter, so it's going to be really expensive. You run the risk of the bad guys shooting the fleeing civilians as they try to leave.

Siege warfare takes too long, and can result in as many, if not more casualties from disease, and lack of food and water, I suspect.

I would have informed the Shiites if they do not stop and desist in their insurrection we will arm Sunni militias, provide them with artillery and air support if they agree to clear Sadr City. Any atrocities that occur will be unfortunate…