Operation Together Forward: Hope Amid the Rubble

Strategic Context: Baghdad on the Brink

The Samarra Flashpoint

On February 22, 2006, the bombing of the al-Askari Mosque in Samarra—a revered Shia shrine—shattered Iraq’s fragile sectarian balance. Though no one was killed in the explosion itself, its symbolic impact was explosive. The attack triggered a wave of retaliatory violence across the country, plunging Iraq into its bloodiest phase of sectarian conflict.

A U.S. Soldier from 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 4-23 Infantry, 172nd Stryker Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, shakes hands with an Iraqi in Baghdad’s Ahdamiyah district on August 29, 2006. The unit is working with Iraqi police and army to search for weapons and register citizens during Operation Together Forward.

Baghdad: Epicenter of the Storm

Nowhere was this descent into chaos more pronounced than in Baghdad. Once a city of mixed neighborhoods and relative coexistence, the capital became a patchwork of Sunni and Shia enclaves. Death squads, militias, and insurgents roamed freely. Sunni civilians were abducted in broad daylight by men in police uniforms; Shia families found their loved ones dumped in morgues, bound and tortured.

By mid-2006, Baghdad saw as many as 50 to 100 bodies turning up on its streets each day—evidence of the capital’s unraveling under the weight of revenge killings and insurgent operations.

A Race to Regain Control

In response to the spiraling violence, U.S. and Iraqi leaders knew they had to act decisively. The capital’s collapse would not only threaten Iraq’s central government but also discredit the broader American mission. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, recently installed in May 2006, joined with U.S. commanders to devise a bold plan: a sweeping security crackdown aimed at flushing out insurgents, protecting civilians, and restoring government authority across Baghdad.

That plan would become Operation Together Forward, a high-stakes attempt to reverse the tide and reclaim Baghdad before it was lost to chaos.

Members of the Al Khadaar Iraqi Police Precinct patrol the streets of Khadaar, Iraq, alongside U.S. Army Soldiers from the 49th Brigade , 3-72nd Battalion, 615th Military Police Company, 2nd Platoon, 2nd Squad on August 21, 2006. An Iraqi policeman stays alert to keep the streets safe.

Launch of Operation Together Forward

A High-Stakes Beginning

Operation Together Forward officially launched in July 2006 under the direction of Multi-National Force–Iraq (MNF-I) and the Iraqi government. The operation emerged from growing urgency to address Baghdad’s spiraling sectarian violence, which had transformed the capital into a cauldron of daily bombings, assassinations, and retaliatory killings. American and Iraqi leaders hoped a concerted military campaign could reestablish security and provide space for political reconciliation.

The “Clear, Hold, Build” Strategy

At the heart of the operation was the counterinsurgency framework of "clear, hold, and build." This entailed sweeping violent hotspots in Baghdad to clear out insurgents, establishing a long-term security presence to prevent their return, and fostering reconstruction and governance efforts to stabilize communities. The mission’s success hinged on coordinated U.S. and Iraqi participation in both military and civil efforts.

Members of the Al Khadaar Iraqi Police Precinct patrol the streets of Khadaar, Iraq, alongside U.S. Army Soldiers from the 49th Brigade, 3-72nd Battalion, 615th Military Police Company, 2nd Platoon, 2nd Squad.

Ground Tactics: Cordon, Search, and Secure

Day-to-day operations relied heavily on joint cordon-and-search missions—methodical sweeps through neighborhoods suspected of harboring insurgents, weapons, or bomb-making materials. Security checkpoints were rapidly expanded throughout Baghdad to intercept weapons shipments and restrict insurgent movement. In theory, these measures were designed not just to disrupt violence, but to physically reclaim territory block by block, street by street.

Challenges and Failures in Phase I

Fragile Partnerships and Faulty Forces

From the outset, Operation Together Forward struggled with the reliability of its Iraqi partners. Although the plan called for robust participation from newly trained Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), many units were either understrength, poorly led, or plagued by sectarian bias. Some Iraqi soldiers and police were reluctant to act against militias tied to their own sectarian groups—particularly Shia militias like the Mahdi Army—undermining the operation’s neutrality and legitimacy in the eyes of many Baghdad residents.

Iraqi National Police from the 6th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, call Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment to investigate a small weapons cache hidden in a trash dump behind a Doura neighborhood. These National Police routinely join Soldiers on combined patrols and security missions, including cordon and search operations in Doura in October, as part of ongoing efforts supporting Operation Together Forward.

U.S. Forces Spread Thin

At the same time, U.S. forces operating in Baghdad faced critical manpower shortages. The “clear and hold” strategy required sustained troop presence in each neighborhood after it was secured, but there simply weren’t enough American or Iraqi forces to hold every cleared area. As a result, insurgents and militias often returned shortly after operations moved on, rendering early gains moot.

Political Paralysis and Rising Violence

Compounding the tactical difficulties was persistent political interference. Iraqi government leaders, fearful of alienating powerful militia-linked constituencies, frequently intervened to delay or halt raids in sensitive neighborhoods. This political hesitancy further blunted the operation’s momentum. Meanwhile, the violence that Together Forward was meant to quell only intensified—daily bombings, assassinations, and kidnappings surged across Baghdad. Instead of stabilizing the city, Phase I of the operation coincided with some of the bloodiest months of the Iraq War.

Phase II: A Renewed Effort

Mid-October Relaunch with U.S. Reinvestment

In response to the failure of the initial campaign, Operation Together Forward was re-launched in mid-October 2006 as Together Forward II. This renewed push featured greater U.S. involvement and a revised plan emphasizing better coordination, expanded troop presence, and renewed efforts to rebuild and stabilize cleared neighborhoods. American commanders hoped that lessons learned from Phase I—particularly the need for sustained presence and local trust—would translate into more durable results.

A U.S. Army soldier from the 172nd Stryker Brigade, 1-17 Infantry Battalion, searches closets in an Iraqi home on August 18, 2006, during a cordon and search mission in a Baghdad neighborhood as part of Operation Together Forward II. This joint U.S. and Iraqi Army effort aims to clear homes and buildings of contraband that insurgents could use to threaten local citizens and coalition forces.

Same Problems, New Wrapping

Despite adjustments, Phase II quickly ran into familiar roadblocks. Iraqi Security Forces remained undertrained, poorly equipped, and deeply fragmented by sectarian loyalties. Many units still lacked the will or capacity to hold terrain after initial clearing operations. In some cases, neighborhoods that had been “secured” reverted to militia control within days. The ambitious “clear, hold, build” model faltered again due to a shortage of reliable Iraqi troops and insufficient follow-through.

A U.S. Army soldier from the 172nd Stryker Brigade, 1-17 Infantry Battalion, directs Baghdad residents to move back and go indoors on August 18, 2006. Army troops then enter the neighborhood to conduct a cordon and search mission as part of Operation Together Forward II. This joint U.S. and Iraqi Army effort aims to clear Baghdad of contraband that insurgents could use against local citizens and coalition forces

Unrelenting Violence

Far from improving, conditions in Baghdad continued to deteriorate. Sectarian death squads operated with near impunity. Each morning revealed more bodies dumped across the city—victims of overnight kidnappings and reprisal killings. Rather than tamping down the civil war dynamics consuming the capital, Together Forward II found itself overwhelmed by them. The operation failed to stem the bloodshed, and by the end of 2006, more than 15,000 civilians had died in Baghdad alone. Mass displacement further fragmented the city, creating sectarian enclaves and accelerating the collapse of mixed communities.

Tactical Actions on the Ground

House-to-House Searches and Clearing Operations

Operation Together Forward saw coalition forces conducting aggressive clearing operations across key neighborhoods of Baghdad, particularly in the northeast. These missions often included house-to-house searches designed to root out weapons caches, insurgents, and militia strongholds. Publicly released imagery and reporting through DVIDS documented these intense urban efforts, underscoring the complexity of operating in dense and often hostile civilian areas.

U.S. Army soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade, 1-17 Infantry Battalion, stack up and ensure it’s safe to exit an Iraqi home on August 18, 2006, after searching for weapons and contraband during a cordon and search mission in a Baghdad neighborhood. This joint operation between U.S. and Iraqi Army forces aims to clear homes and buildings of weapons and illegal items that insurgents could use to harm local civilians and coalition troops

Combined Patrols with Iraqi Security Forces

Much of the tactical activity involved close coordination with Iraqi Police and Emergency Services Units (ESUs). U.S. forces worked to empower their Iraqi counterparts during cordon-and-search operations, with mixed success. These combined patrols aimed to build legitimacy for the Iraqi government while encouraging local intelligence sharing from wary residents.

1st Cavalry Division Takes the Helm

By late 2006, the 1st Cavalry Division assumed a leading role in Baghdad’s security operations, as the initial joint command structure shifted to accommodate increasing U.S. responsibility. Units within the division intensified patrol presence, operated security checkpoints, and tried to implement the "clear, hold, and build" strategy on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis. Despite their efforts, persistent sectarian violence and the lack of follow-through on reconstruction goals continued to undermine tactical gains on the ground.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Richard Martinez of the 172nd Stryker Brigade, 1-17 Infantry Battalion, scans for suspicious activity through the scope of his M4 rifle while providing rooftop security during a cordon and search mission. Meanwhile, other battalion members move in and out of Iraqi homes on August 18, 2006

Aftermath and Strategic Assessment

Baghdad’s Escalating Chaos

Despite months of intensive operations, Baghdad remained deeply unstable by the end of 2006. Sectarian violence surged, and death tolls—both civilian and military—spiked dramatically. Many neighborhoods once cleared during Operation Together Forward fell back under insurgent or militia control, erasing hard-won tactical gains and reinforcing public doubt in the mission’s effectiveness.

Iraq Study Group’s Blunt Verdict

In December 2006, the bipartisan Iraq Study Group released a sobering report that sharply criticized the war’s execution. It concluded that efforts like Together Forward had failed to stem the tide of violence and that the U.S. approach lacked coherent strategic direction. The report described Baghdad as the epicenter of chaos, noting that security conditions had deteriorated despite increased American troop presence.

The Iraqi Army’s 6th Battalion Engineer Company teams up with the U.S. Army’s 68th Engineer Battalion, 16th Brigade, 2nd Platoon during Operation Together Forward II. On August 17, 2006, Soldiers from the 68th Engineer Battalion continue hauling debris from the streets of Ameriyah, Iraq

From "Together Forward" to the 2007 Surge

Operation Together Forward was eventually deemed a failure by military and political leaders. Its inability to establish lasting security or foster meaningful political progress led to a dramatic shift in U.S. strategy. In early 2007, President George W. Bush announced a new campaign—later known as “the Surge”—which committed over 20,000 additional troops to Iraq and fundamentally reshaped counterinsurgency operations across the country.

Legacy and Lessons

Counterinsurgency Under Fire

Operation Together Forward became a case study in the complexities of counterinsurgency warfare. It underscored that kinetic operations—raids, sweeps, and cordon-and-search missions—could not achieve lasting results in the absence of political legitimacy and local trust. U.S. forces, including key units like the 1st Cavalry Division, demonstrated tactical proficiency in clearing neighborhoods, but without sustained follow-on security and governance, insurgents quickly reoccupied vacated areas.

The Iraqi Army’s 6th Battalion Engineer Company works alongside the U.S. Army’s 68th Engineer Battalion, 16th Brigade, 2nd Platoon during Operation Together Forward II. On August 17, 2006, U.S. Army Sgt. Johnnie Grey and 1st Lt. John Morquist from the 68th Engineer Battalion help load rubble and tree blockades onto a bucket loader in Ameriyah, Iraq

Coordination Gaps

The operation also revealed persistent challenges in political-military coordination. While American units often operated with professionalism and discipline, efforts to integrate Iraqi Army battalions, local police, and Emergency Services Units frequently faltered due to weak command structures, sectarian bias, and low public confidence. This gap hampered unity of effort and undercut the broader strategy to “clear, hold, and build.”

Strategic Limits of Security Alone

Perhaps most significantly, Together Forward exposed the limits of military power when unaccompanied by meaningful political reconciliation. Despite increased patrols and joint operations, Baghdad’s sectarian divide only deepened. Militias like the Mahdi Army and insurgent groups such as al-Qaeda in Iraq exploited the vacuum, often returning stronger than before.

Vendors in Ameriyah, Baghdad, have reopened their shops and resumed selling goods thanks to combined operations during Operation Together Forward. These efforts have helped restore trust and support among Iraqi citizens for both the Iraqi government and Coalition Forces

A Cautionary Tale

In hindsight, the operation became a cautionary tale for military planners and policymakers. It reinforced a central lesson: success in urban counterinsurgency demands not just tactical excellence, but also synchronized efforts in governance, reconstruction, and diplomacy. These insights would inform the design and execution of the 2007 Surge and shape U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine for years to come.