Recommended Reading

Time now: 3:16am. And it's another slow night in our command post (CP). So, after watching a bit of The West Wing (which, hopefully, someone will be kind enough to burn all of and send to me), here I am.

Thought I'd share a little information with all of you. And in my usual lazy way, here's some recommended reading, so that I don't have to give you all the answers.http://www.army.mil/-news/2007/10/15/5581-commanders-credit-iraqi-civilians-with-improved-security-rejecting-extremism/Yeah, an Army source but it offers a good starting place backgrounder on the volunteers (mu-ta-Tau-een) that have resulted from the awakening (still need to learn that word).

And since you were polite enough to start withe our version, here's something from WaPo:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2007/09/29/AR2007092901528.html

Now to the bigger things.
The Assassin's Gate by George Packer http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Gate-America-Iraq/dp/0374299633. An excellent account of everything that we botched so terribly in the...ahem..."planning"...of this war. Well-written, excellently researched, highly recommended.

The Prince of the Marshes: And Other Occupational Hazards of a Year in Iraq http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Marshes-Other-Occupational-Hazards/dp/0156032791/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-8200691-6113402?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193443902&sr=1-1 I'll just admit that I'm tired - hey, it's late! - and just borrow the blurb...."From Publishers Weekly'Soon after Stewart, a British diplomat and professional adventurer, traveled to Iraq late in 2003 to search for work, he was named a provincial governor...Stewart spent most of his time navigating through a byzantine and thoroughly unfamiliar political landscape of tribal leaders, Islamist militias, Communist dissidents and Iranian intelligence agents....Engrossing and often darkly humorous, his book should be required reading for every political commentator who knows exactly what to do in Iraq despite never having dealt with recalcitrant interpreters or an angry mob.'"So, yeah, good stuff - and he quotes Machiavelli (and if anyone sends me a combined copy of The Prince+The Discourses, you're on my Christmas card list. yeah, I wish I still had my college copy).

Alright, folks, that's all I got for now. And sorry there are no pics today. Better luck next time.
Roger. Out.