Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #314605 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 416 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780300140699
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. This is a unique contribution to the burgeoning literature on the Iraq war, analyzing the day-to-day performance of a U.S. brigade in Baghdad during 2004-2005. Mansoor uses a broad spectrum of sources to address the military, political and cultural aspects of an operation undertaken with almost no relevant preparation, which tested officers and men to their limits and generated mistakes and misjudgments on a daily basis. The critique is balanced, perceptive and merciless—and Mansoor was the brigade commander. Military history is replete with command memoirs. Most are more or less self-exculpatory. Even the honest ones rarely achieve this level of analysis. The effect is like watching a surgeon perform an operation on himself. Mansoor has been simultaneously a soldier and a scholar, able to synergize directly his military and academic experiences. He presents an eloquent critique of the armed forces' post-Vietnam neglect of counterinsurgency and makes a strong case for integrating military forces with civilian experts who can aid reconstruction in counterinsurgency operations. Above all, Mansoor reasserts the enduring impact of fog and friction on war. There is never an easy solution, he says—or an easy exit. Maps. (Sept.)
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From Booklist
*Starred Review* In 2004, Mansoor stirred controversy by sending scores of correspondents a lengthy e-mail challenging media representations of the Iraq War with his own personal experience as an on-the-ground soldier. This compelling narrative goes much further, offering not only factual corrections of published accounts of battlefield events but also incisive analysis of overall American strategy. In reportage that crackles with the gunfire of street fighting, then segues into candid reflections on America’s military doctrines and policies, Mansoor draws readers directly into the tension of the Iraqi conflict. Readers feel the frustrations of American military leaders as victory over Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime unexpectedly lets loose a bloody cycle of sectarian violence. Those planning to establish a unified Iraqi democracy thus find themselves trying to defuse the lethal animosities dividing Ba’athists, Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds, and Syrian Catholics. Mansoor frankly confronts American errors—highlighting the wholesale disbanding of the Iraqi army, the initial deployment of American troops far from urban centers, and the abuse of Iraqi detainees—and he exposes serious deficiencies in American military training. But he strongly affirms the valor and resourcefulness of the American soldier, and he defends a cautiously optimistic assessment of the “surge” of U.S. troops in Baghdad. A sober and balanced perspective. --Bryce Christensen

Review
"Baghdad at Sunrise is a masterful account of command in counterinsurgency operations. Colonel Peter Mansoor's superb description of his brigade's experiences during our first year in Iraq is a must read for soldiers, scholars, and policymakers alike - and all would do well to examine the lessons he draws from his experiences." David H. Petraeus, General, US Army "Mansoor's unflinching new account... is nearly unique, because his position was rare among military memoirists... He tells the story of that fateful first year in Iraq from the point of view of one who saw decisions being made at the highest echelons, yet led soldiers in executing those orders day by day." Bill Murphy, Washington Post"

Customer Reviews

Excellent, No-Nonsense Account of Iraq following the "End of Major Ground Combat"
I am an Army historian who has accessed many, if not most, of the existing (and they are relatively few) records pertaining to the Ready First Brigade Combat Team's operations in Iraq during the period discussed in this book. Therefore, I can set the "bar" a bit higher when it comes to informed analysis of the book's value. I am also acquainted with an extremely candid and capable senior non-commissioned officer from Colonel Mansoor's Brigade Reconnaissance Troop who interacted with the author on a daily basis during the 1st BCT's deployment in Iraq. If my friend did not believe that Colonel Mansoor was an effective combat leader, he would have told me so in no uncertain terms. Quite the contrary, Colonel Mansoor was a well-respected and credible leader who "figured out" what was happening long before other commanders.

All professional affilitations aside, this review represents my personal opinion. That said, I believe Colonel Mansoor has produced a forthright, factual, and valuable narrative of his experiences in the tumultuous months following the fall of Sadaam Hussein's regime in Iraq.

A respected historian prior to assuming brigade command, Colonel Mansoor took it upon himself to record each day's events in a notebook for posterity's sake. He does not rely solely on his memory, media reports, or the recollections of others. This fact alone sets his account apart from other OIF related personal accounts. His book is even more important given the relative lack of historical material, when compared to later OIF deployments, on the operations conducted by 1st Armored Division during the period 2003 - 2004.

If Mansoor has an unstated agenda, it is a subtle one focused on educating our nation's future political and military leadership. He is not trying to rehabilitate the public's perceptions of his actions in Iraq. Indeed, his candor and objectivity are very refreshing in comparison to other books covering that same period which I have recently read.

Opened My Eyes
My father-in-law received an advanced copy of Baghdad at Sunrise as a gift from the author. I began reading it with many questions about the handling of the Iraq War mixed with extreme respect for our nation's armed services. I am a lifetime civilian with very little exposure to military history and tactics, yet couldn't put the book down while learning a ton about what are servicemen and women have accomplished in their time in Iraq.

Col. Mansoor's book is a great mixture of military theory, Islamic history and cultural anthropology, all thrown into a personal account of his personal goals and associated challenges. I can't began to list off everything I learned and truthfully believe it would be great for everyone from military historians to those with no knowledge of military tactics and jargon (like yours truly).

On a separate note, I just finished two years of business school with a number of former officers who served in our nation's War on Terror. Reading this book left me with a clear picture of what life on the frontlines is really like, as well as a new appreciation for their hard work and sacrifice. I will hopefully be at the USMA in a few weeks to see a classmate and close friend of mine who is now a West Point professor. Although it may embarrass him in front of new colleagues, he will be getting a hug and a sincere 'thank you' from a friend whose freedom and safety he risked so much for.

Colonel Mansoor, thank you for such an enlightening read. My best for you and your family (Jana, the children and even the dogs) in the future.

Baghdad at Sunrise
Although it felt like it took me a long time to read this book, I realize looking back over the past eleven days, that this is not a book that can be rushed. I had a hard time figuring out exactly how to classify this book. It reads like a memoir, yet it also contains lessons in history, battle analysis, and diplomacy.

Because Peter R. Mansoor was a colonel, and the commander of a brigade, this book is written from a commander's point of view, and thus includes more of an overview of how things come together in battle. He writes about policy, placement of forces, troop morale, and dealing with local leaders.

Other Iraq war stories that I have read (such as A Fist in the Hornet's Nest by Richard Engel, and The Devil's Sandbox by John R. Bruning) have been written about the common soldier in the heat of battle. This book, though still compelling, is quite different.

I think a lot of the difference comes from the fact that Colonel Mansoor has a graduate degree in military history from Ohio State University, and taught history at West Point. Woven into his recollections of his year in Iraq is an overview of the history of Iraq and the conflict between Sunni and Shi'ite Islam.

To date, of all the military books I have read, this book contains the most thorough treatment of the military issues in Iraq, and I found Colonel Mansoor's ideas for dealing with the insurgency to be quite enlightening.

Overall I thought this book contained excellent information, and if you have any interest in military policy in Iraq or military history I would highly recommend it.