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

The Battle of Fallujah was the most intense fighting American forces have faced in the 21st century, a Marine battle to stand with Okinawa and Hue for a tenacious enemy and destruction unleashed. Bing West has admirably recorded the heroism of the Marines who went into Fallujah, and the context of the battle in Iraq in 2004. The book's image of a Marine Division astride a shattered city, ruefully shaking its head and saying "Look at what you made me do", is not the most objective take. That image, like so much else about the Iraq War, left a sour taste in my mouth. But the story of Fallujah is one that must be told.

Make no mistake, West is biased. He's Marine to the bone, and the world is divided into Marines and those who stand in show more their way. Marines are always righteous: heroes who brave insurmountable odds to cover their brothers; precise killers who use sniper rifles against enemy fighters and guided bombs only on identified strong points; extraordinary men who keep on going no matter how hard it gets.

Others do not come off as well. The Bush White House and CPA are gently rebuked (by comparison with other histories) for mismanaging the big picture and holding the Marines back. Bing has some sympathy for Iraqi soldiers and policemen intimidated into uselessness by threats against their families, but none at all for Iraqi 'leaders' who promise to keep the peace but fail to deliver repeatedly. The news network Al Jazeera is portrayed as an Al Qaeda propaganda wing; pouring gasoline on the embers of Iraq for ratings, in the same way that local clerics preached jihad for political and criminal power. West disgust at how those he deems responsible for sending thousands of Iraqis in front of American guns while avoiding real danger themselves is a blow to his objectivity.

This book succeeds in it's goal of commemorating the Battle of Fallujah and the men who fought it. West understands the nature of combat like few other writers--100 patrols as a Marine Vietnam will do that for you. This isn't as good as the The Village, but few books are. If there's a lesson to be learned, it's that you should *not* fuck with the United States Marines Corps. Hopefully, that will be obvious to others without having to blow up their cities first. show less

This is a gripping account of the battle in Fallujah. It is highly recommended for an engrossing tale of the American military. I am going to disagree with West, the author, in the title. These are heroic human beings and they are exceedingly admirable in what they accomplished given the unfair criticisms of the media and the politicians who second-guessed their actions.

He rightly points out the folly of making military decisions based on the politics of the day. As West succinctly states: "making war is the act of killing until the opposition accepts terms of surrender rather than suffer more destruction" (p. 323). Despite the tragedy of Iraq in some ways, Obama has not applied the message in his dithering policy in Afghanistan where show more almost 75% of the casualties have occurred during his watch. show less

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The author captures the ebb and flow of combat operations like only someone who has been there. It is an unflinching examination of what the Marines of RCTs 1 and 7 experienced. This story is an excellent if brutal example of urban combat. The author also takes a good hard look at the decision making process of the most senior military and civilian leaders involved. The brilliantly narrated action sequences of Marine Infantry Squads in battle again and again prove that when it comes to issues of warfare, there is nothing quite as important as boots on the ground!

From the book jacket:
"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".

The book is based on interviews at every level, from senior policymakers to generals and soldiers and Marines on the front lines, and is a testament to the bravery of the fighting men and women stationed there. At the time of the battle, Foreign news and U.S. news sources carried stories and photos of what was described as poor policy show more decisions and excesses during the battle for Fallujah. But before jumping to conclusions based on those stories, one must understand what it was like for the soldiers and marines taking part in those battles. This book provides depth and insights of what it was like during that long seige. show less

This is not military memoir so we get to read an analysis depicting the main characters involved in the conflict, that's the US military commanders, the sheiks, the Hussein generals, the untrustworthy iraqui allies ... is really a great document that it also shows a few scenes of the combat action (House from Hell). It's notable that such amount of information is presented in a way that never confuses the reader.

A gritty story of what the Marines who cleared Fallujah went through. It shows what courage and tenacity can accomplish in the face of extreme danger. I read this book while in North Carolina and in Kuwait mobilizing for a deployment to Iraq, and the book helped me keep my experiences in perspective.

A gritty story of what the Marines who cleared Fallujah went through. It shows what courage and tenacity can accomplish in the face of extreme danger. I read this book while in North Carolina and in Kuwait mobilizing for a deployment to Iraq, and the book helped me keep my experiences in perspective.