The “Surge”: Rebranding, Repackaging, and Reselling the Iraq War

As occupied Iraq descended into civil conflict in 2006, a new narrative emerged in US policy discussions that promoted a view of the conflict in terms of classic counterinsurgency strategy. Refocusing from regime change to the winning of ‘hearts and minds,’ the 'Surge' narrative put the focus on the protection of local Iraqi civilians. This study analyzes imagery from a range of government and media sources to illustrate how the 'Surge' narrative shaped popular opinions regarding the war in Iraq, and changed military recruitment both in the United States and in the Middle East.