I just finished Michael Yon’s book – Moment of Truth in Iraq. I highly recommend it. He is a freelance journalist who has spent serious time embedded with soldiers here in Iraq. He’s ex-Special Forces and is not afraid to go out with the troops on missions. His book covers a wide range of time, starting in 2003 and then wraps up around Feb 08.
He sees a different side of the country than I do. He’s on the front end of the capture. But he’s got plenty of insight into how things are going and why the real stories of the war are not being told. He gives great insight into the Iraqi people and their culture and tribal arrangements. He talks of some successes and failures of our efforts to date. It’s definitely worth your time. It’s a quick read as well – with fast paced short stories. The book mentions his website as http://www.michaelyon-online.com/. He talks about taking his camera with him, so there may be pictures there as well.
Maybe the most powerful aspect of reading this book was thinking I could have reviewed the cases for people he watched get captured. Some of the general circumstances he describes I have seen in the files and it was easy for me to relate to what he was saying. I’ve “interviewed” many many Iraqis myself and have heard the same thoughts and feelings being expressed even though I’m at the other end of the story.
Oh yeah – did I mention it was freakin hot here!!!
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