Bing West was assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs under President Ronald Reagan. He served in the Marine infantry in Vietnam. Later, as an analyst at the RAND Corporation, he wrote the Vietnam classic "The Village," that war colleges use as a primer in counterinsurgency. As a correspondent for "The Atlantic Monthly," West has covered the war for five years. His books on Iraq - "No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah" and "The March Up: Taking Baghdad with the United States Marines" (co-authored with MajGen Ray Smith)-have won the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation's General Wallace M. Greene Jr. Award for nonfiction, the Colby Award for military nonfiction, and the Veteran of Foreign Wars Media Award. West is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations; his articles appear in "The New York Times," "The Wall St. Journal," and other major newspapers. He appears on National Public Radio and "The Newshour with Jim Lehrer."
"Balanced, panoramic assessment of the Iraq War by former Marine
and Reagan administration veteran West (No True Glory, 2005, etc.),
who heralds American soldiers as its unsung heroes amid the "fog of
Washington." . .A timely, eye-opening historical analysis that
provides clarity around the difficult choices the next president
faces." "--Kirkus, "starred review
"In this important new chronicle of the war in Iraq, Bing West
reveals how America reached the brink of defeat in 2006 and then
managed in 2007 to stage a stunning turnaround. With its vivid,
on-the-ground reporting, his book is a fitting tribute to the
honor, valor, and toughness of our soldiers. Notwithstanding
numerous mistakes by their leaders, West shows that their
sacrifices have made success possible"--"as long we do not withdraw
prematurely.""--"Senator John S. McCain
"Sometimes the best way to support the troops is to criticize the
generals. Bing West does both well in this book, showing a sympathy
for our soldiers and Marines, but also a great ear for military
truth and a determination to render events accurately. This is his
third and most important book about the Iraq war. Read it."
"--"Thomas E. Ricks, author of "FIASCO: The American Military
Adventure in Iraq"
"A brilliant exposition. Based on extensive experience in the war
zone, Bing West recounts how Soldiers and Marines showed the
President and the Pentagon the way to solve the Iraq insurgency
problem. Echoing the admonition that "all politics are local," The
Strongest Tribeconvincingly argues that it was a grass roots
strategy developed by on-scene officers who forged ties at the
tribal level that brought stability to Iraq's turbulent Anbar
Province and provided hope for all Iraq."
"--"Lt. Gen. Bernard E. Trainor USMC (Ret.) Co-author of "The
Generals' War "
and" COBRA II: The Inside Story of the Invation and Occupation of
Iraq"
"Some four decades ago I told Bing West that his book, the Village,
would be
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