Bing West

From the book jacket:
"After four American contractors were brutally murdered, President Bush ordered an attack on the city–against the advice of the Marines. The assault sparked a political firestorm, and the Marines were forced to withdraw amid controversy and confusion–only to be ordered a second time to take a city that had become an inferno of hate and the lair of the archterrorist al-Zarqawi".

The book is based on interviews at every level, from senior policymakers to generals and soldiers and Marines on the front lines, and is a testament to the bravery of the fighting men and women stationed there. At the time of the battle, Foreign news and U.S. news sources carried stories and photos of what was described as poor policy decisions and excesses during the battle for Fallujah. But before jumping to conclusions based on those stories, one must understand what it was like for the soldiers and marines taking part in those battles. This book provides depth and insights of what it was like during that long seige.

… (mere)

The authors, veterans, give us an inside view of the invasion of Iraq. And because of their combat past and rank were welcomed more readily by the men then journalist would have been. This book was written shortly after the unit successful completed its mission, which is its topic. The authors also being brothers in arms may have been less objective then non-military journalist may have been but the access we see is worth it. These former Marines stay loyal to the USMC as they should and it also may color the book but once again gave more access that many other would not ever see. Having familiarity with the military organization and terms I felt right at home as I read this. Some may get loss by the acronyms though they are explained. This is a very fast read.… (mere)

I really liked this book, it gives a solid history of the Iraq insurgency as well as showing the various actors. The insights into why Iraq wasn't progressing was very informative, the Sunni/Shia divide and the problems involved in creating a Democratic system of Government with little experience.

It also excels in showing the Generals, the battalion commanders and the squads. It is a rare author that covers so much ground, it gives us a more complete picture as we see it from multiple sides. The Author also kept going back to Iraq so he could see progress and then see the same areas decline in security. He could see what worked and what didn't. The book is as much a manual as a history, a great strength.

My one criticism of the book is one of his conclusions. He wrote that the soldiers and local commanders said there weren't enough troops on the ground to stop the insurgents from moving around. Whack a mole was how the troops termed it. But in his conclusion he says more US troops were not needed. But it's obvious that had more troops been in Iraq in 2004 they could have stopped much of the insurgency from forming. Later he supports the surge, but that is inconsistent with his conclusions that more US troops weren't needed. A minor criticism of a good book.… (mere)