323 "Saddam Hussein taught them how to do that": This is from Maj. Whitney"s "Operational Leadership Experiences" interview, quoted in Chapter 2. This is from Maj. Whitney"s "Operational Leadership Experiences" interview, quoted in Chapter 2.
323 "They"re going to be ruthless": Maj. Burr"s prediction appears in his official "Operational Leadership Experiences" interview, Combat Studies Inst.i.tute, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 13 April 2007. Maj. Burr"s prediction appears in his official "Operational Leadership Experiences" interview, Combat Studies Inst.i.tute, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 13 April 2007.
324 "the whole notion of democracy and representative government in Iraq was absolutely ludicrous": Maj. Quayle states this in his official "Operational Leadership Experiences" interview, Combat Studies Inst.i.tute, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 19 September 2008. Maj. Quayle states this in his official "Operational Leadership Experiences" interview, Combat Studies Inst.i.tute, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 19 September 2008.
324 the story of a Turkmen Shia police chief: Capt. Gorkowski recounted this episode in "After Action Report: a.s.sessing Acceptable Corruption in Iraq," CTC Capt. Gorkowski recounted this episode in "After Action Report: a.s.sessing Acceptable Corruption in Iraq," CTC Sentinel, Sentinel, published by the Combating Terrorism Center, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., August 2008. published by the Combating Terrorism Center, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., August 2008.
325 "America will have bequeathed a highly unstable state": Dodge"s warning is in "Iraq and the Next American President," Dodge"s warning is in "Iraq and the Next American President," Survival, Survival, October-November 2008. October-November 2008.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
First, I want to thank my wife, inspiration and fellow writer, Mary Kay Ricks.
I also am endebted to my children, who are always interesting.
Scott Moyers, who has guided my writing career, even went so far as to suggest the t.i.tle of this book. I am grateful also to my new editor, Ann G.o.doff. Also at Penguin Press, Lindsay Whalen and Abigail Cleaves were a pleasure to work with.
I particularly want to thank my editors at the Washington Post Washington Post who supported this project: Susan Gla.s.ser, Len Downie, Carlos Lozada, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, and Bill Hamilton. Many colleagues at the who supported this project: Susan Gla.s.ser, Len Downie, Carlos Lozada, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, and Bill Hamilton. Many colleagues at the Post Post also helped me: Steve Fainaru, Karen Deyoung, Walter Pincus, Dana Priest, Robin Wright, Joby War-rick, Ann Scott Tyson, Amit Paley, Josh Partlow, and, most notably, Josh White and Sudarsan Raghavan. also helped me: Steve Fainaru, Karen Deyoung, Walter Pincus, Dana Priest, Robin Wright, Joby War-rick, Ann Scott Tyson, Amit Paley, Josh Partlow, and, most notably, Josh White and Sudarsan Raghavan.
I am indebted to Kurt Campbell and Michele Flournoy, and everyone at the Center for a New American Security, the wonderful think tank Kurt and Michele founded. This is the second book I have done under Kurt"s auspices, and I have come to believe that in another life he was a very successful publisher. My researcher at CNAS, Michael Zubrow, helped every day to increase both the accuracy and scope of the book. I deeply appreciate his tireless work.
I want to thank Gen. David Petraeus, Gen. Raymond Odierno, and their staffs and subordinate units for their openness and tolerance on a series of trips I made to Iraq in 2007 and 2008. I appreciate the work of Lt. Col. Joe Yoswa and Col. Steve Boylan in facilitating my visits. I also want to thank Lt. Col. James Hutton, Maj. Joseph Edstrom, and Maj. Brian Tribus for their help on my last trip to Baghdad for this book.
I also appreciate the help provided by dozens of soldiers who shared everything from letters and personal e-mails to PowerPoint summaries of their operations. I also am especially obliged to several officers who went out of their way to help me understand key phases of the war or important aspects of it: Col. Sean MacFarland, Lt. Col. Pete Kilner, Lt. Col. Joe Rice, Capt. Samuel Cook, and several members of the 1st Cavalry Division.
To my mind, the heroes of the Iraq war are the everyday soldier and the average Iraqi trying to get by. I am in awe of the Iraqi staff of the Washington Post"s Baghdad bureau, who through death, kidnappings, and bombings have not only held together but produced superb journalism.
I am obliged to the Sandy Spring Friends School of Sandy Spring, Maryland, which responded with swift generosity when one Iraqi family a.s.sociated with the Post Post was forced to flee Iraq. The school took two Iraqi students into its warm and tolerant environment. Those wishing to support its efforts should make out their checks to "Contribution to Financial Aid-Iraqi Refugee Fund" and send them to: was forced to flee Iraq. The school took two Iraqi students into its warm and tolerant environment. Those wishing to support its efforts should make out their checks to "Contribution to Financial Aid-Iraqi Refugee Fund" and send them to: Karl Gedge Sandy Spring Friends School 16923 Norwood Rd.
Sandy Spring, MD 20860 I am endebted to Greg Jaffe of the Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Journal, who wrote the first account of the battle of Tarmiyah and who was generous in connecting me to members of the unit that fought there. who wrote the first account of the battle of Tarmiyah and who was generous in connecting me to members of the unit that fought there.
I appreciate the help given me by Sandy Ain, Ellie Rider, and Anne Russell Ricks.
I also want to thank my critical readers: Kurt Campbell, Shawn Brimley, retired Col. Robert Killebrew, retired Lt. Col. Terry Daly, Lt. Col. Joe Rice, Tom Donnelly, Mary Kay Ricks, and, especially, Vernon Loeb, once a great colleague and still a true friend.
The mistakes are my own.