No True Glory : A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah

SUMMARY: "This is the face of war as only those who have fought it can describe it."Senator John McCainFallujah: Iraqs most dangerous city unexpectedly emerged as the major battleground of the Iraqi insurgency. For twenty months, one American battalion after another tried to quell the violence, culminating in a bloody, full-scale assault. Victory came at a terrible price: 151 Americans and thousands of Iraqis were left dead.The epic battle for Fallujah revealed the startling connections between policy and combat that are a part of the new reality of war.The Marines had planned to slip into Fallujah as soft as fog. But after four American contractors were brutally murdered, President Bush ordered an attack on the cityagainst the advice of the Marines. The assault sparked a political firestorm, and the Marines were forced to withdraw amid controversy and confusiononly 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.Based on months spent with the battalions in Fallujah and hundreds of interviews at every levelsenior policymakers, negotiators, generals, and soldiers and Marines on the front linesNo True Glory is a testament to the bravery of the American soldier and a cautionary tale about the complexand often costlyinterconnected roles of policy, politics, and battle in the twenty-first century.From the Hardcover edition. Page Count : 812 eBook : Š Word Count : 135,393 Formats : EPUB, MOBI Subject : Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Middle East-SWA.Iraq.OIF.USMC ISBN : 9780553383195 For months author F.J. "Bing" West lived among the Marines who besieged the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah. He interviewed members of the three US Army units that fought in that factious City before the Marines arrived. With access from frontline personnel to senior policymakers and negotiators, West's astonishing account takes us into strategy discussions between generals, on tense night patrols, and into fighting from rooftop to rooftop to tell the story that hasn't been told in the press or on the nightly news. The Marines originally planned to slip into Fallujah "as soft as fog." But in March 2004, after a mob killing and mutilating four American contractors was recorded in images that horrified the world, the Marines attacked. West recounts the ferocious street battles that followed, the stiff resistance and shocking violence that caught many in our military and government off guard, and the sweeping US counterattack that outraged the Arab world. We go behind the scenes to the intense negotiations to persuade Iraqis to take charge and hunt down terrorists like al-Zarqawi, who were using the city as a sanctuary--negotiations whose ramifications will impact Iraq for years to come. The real focus is upon the heroic, everyday efforts of the American fighting soldier and Marine confronting the key paradox of the war: that the Iraqis both wanted and didn't want Americans in their country. No True Glory is a firsthand account of the gritty fighting, political maneuvering, and ongoing struggle in this crucial city?--a microcosm of the confused and frustrating Iraqi war

this Is The Face Of War As Only Those Who Have Fought It Can Describe It.
—senator John Mccain

Fallujah: Iraq S Most Dangerous City Unexpectedly Emerged As The Major Battleground Of The Iraqi Insurgency. For Twenty Months, One American Battalion After Another Tried To Quell The Violence, Culminating In A Bloody, Full-scale Assault. Victory Came At A Terrible Price: 151 Americans And Thousands Of Iraqis Were Left Dead.

The Epic Battle For Fallujah Revealed The Startling Connections Between Policy And Combat That Are A Part Of The New Reality Of War.

The Marines Had Planned To Slip Into Fallujah As Soft As Fog. But 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.

Based On Months Spent With The Battalions In Fallujah And Hundreds Of Interviews At Every Level Senior Policymakers, Negotiators, Generals, And Soldiers And Marines On The Front Lines No True Glory Is A Testament To The Bravery Of The American Soldier And A Cautionary Tale About The Complex And Often Costly Interconnected Roles Of Policy, Politics, And Battle In The Twenty-first Century.

tom Ricks - Washington Post

no True Glory Is The Best Book On The U.s. Military In Iraq To Emerge So Far.

BONUS: This edition contains excerpts from Bing West's The Strongest Tribe and The March Up. "This is the face of war as only those who have fought it can describe it."'Senator John McCain Fallujah: Iraq's most dangerous city unexpectedly emerged as the major battleground of the Iraqi insurgency. For twenty months, one American battalion after another tried to quell the violence, culminating in a bloody, full-scale assault. Victory came at a terrible price: 151 Americans and thousands of Iraqis were left dead. The epic battle for Fallujah revealed the startling connections between policy and combat that are a part of the new reality of war. The Marines had planned to slip into Fallujah "as soft as fog." But 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. Based on months spent with the battalions in Fallujah and hundreds of interviews at every level'senior policymakers, negotiators, generals, and soldiers and Marines on the front lines'No True Glory is a testament to the bravery of the American soldier and a cautionary tale about the complex'and often costly'interconnected roles of policy, politics, and battle in the twenty-first century. NOTE: This version does not include the photo insert "This is the face of war as only those who have fought it can describe it."Senator John McCain Fallujah: Iraqs most dangerous city unexpectedly emerged as the major battleground of the Iraqi insurgency. For twenty months, one American battalion after another tried to quell the violence, culminating in a bloody, full-scale assault. Victory came at a terrible price: 151 Americans and thousands of Iraqis were left dead. The epic battle for Fallujah revealed the startling connections between policy and combat that are a part of the new reality of war. The Marines had planned to slip into Fallujah as soft as fog. But after four American contractors were brutally murdered, President Bush ordered an attack on the cityagainst the advice of the Marines. The assault sparked a political firestorm, and the Marines were forced to withdraw amid controversy and confusiononly 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. Based on months spent with the battalions in Fallujah and hundreds of interviews at every levelsenior policymakers, negotiators, generals, and soldiers and Marines on the front lines No True Glory is a testament to the bravery of the American soldier and a cautionary tale about the complexand often costlyinterconnected roles of policy, politics, and battle in the twenty-first century. From the Hardcover edition. "Fallujah: Iraq.s most dangerous city unexpectedly emerged as the major battleground of the Iraqi insurgency. For twenty months, one American battalion after another tried to quell the violence, culminating in a bloody, full-scale assault. Victory came at a terrible price: 151 Americans and thousands of Iraqis were left dead. The epic battle for Fallujah revealed the startling connections between policy and combat that are part of the new reality of war." "The Marines had planned to slip into Fallujah "as soft as fog." But 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." "Based on months spent with the battalions in Fallujah and hundreds of interviews at every level - senior policymakers, negotiators, generals, and soldiers and Marines on the front lines - No True Glory is a testament to the bravery of the American soldier and a cautionary tale about the complex - and often costly - interconnected roles of policy, politics, and battle in the twenty-first century."--BOOK JACKET The Marines had planned to slip into Fallujah "as soft as fog." But 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. Based on months spent with the battalions in Fallujah and hundreds of interviews at every level-senior policymakers, negotiators, generals, and soldiers and Marines on the front lines-No True Glory is a testament to the bravery of the American soldier and a cautionary tale about the complex-and often costly-interconnected roles of policy, politics, and battle in the twenty-first century. --from publisher description