House to House. A good read.

[scottbombedout]

Just finished reading House to House by David Bellavia.

Absolutely fantastic account of an Infantrymans role in Iraq.

I dont normally read non Porsche literature but couldn't put the book down.
Well recommended and a tribute to the heroes at work doing what they do best.

Felt very humble after reading it.

[kimlangley7]

Thanks for the tip/review.. I'll have to check it out.. I was in Iraq > OIF#1 2003.. was not busting down doors much.... well maybe 2 times.... was "interesting'....

[Steve Carlton]

Wow- this guy has all the respect I've got. He just got the CMOH.

From the review of his book in Amazon:

Staff Sergeant David Bellavia spent six years in the U.S. Army, including some of the most intense fighting of the Iraq War. He has been awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star for his actions in Iraq, and recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross and Medal of Honor for his actions in Fallujah. In 2005, he received the Conspicuous Service Cross (New York State's highest award for military valor) and was inducted into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame. He is the cofounder of Vets for Freedom, an advocacy organization of veterans concerned about the politicization of media coverage of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. His writing has been published in The Philadelphia Inquirer, National Review, The Weekly Standard, and other publications. He lives in western New York.

https://time.com/5614183/david-bellavia-medal-of-honor-iraq-war/

[tabs]

Originally Posted by scottbombedout

Just finished reading House to House by David Bellavia.

Absolutely fantastic account of an Infantrymans role in Iraq.

I dont normally read non Porsche literature but couldn't put the book down.
Well recommended and a tribute to the heroes at work doing what they do best.

Felt very humble after reading it.

You should be reading a lot more...

[tabs]

I am now reading THE GREAT GAMBLE by Gregory Feifer. It is about the anecedants of the American involvement in.Afghanistan..the Soviet Invasion.

It seems that there was no moment of decision for the Soviet Polit Bureau. Or no document exists of the decision being made. Brezhnev liked the assininated leader of Afghanistan and made the decision to assissinate his successor. Ironically the Afghan leadership kept asking for Soviet troops to be deployed to help quell the provincial insurrection. The Soviets obliged which made the Afghan leadership happy..only they were there not to help.but to get rid of that leadership.

[tabs]

The stupidest mtherfkers on the planet were GW as personified by Chaney and Rumsfeld.. they didn't have a clue as to what they were getting into or...they thought what had happened in the past didn't fking matter as the American legions were invincible and this time it would be different.

When GW looked for another way he picked up on Peteraus's ideas. Yet Peteraus wasn't so special, all he did was read the books and pay attention. Petraeus was able to adapt American military orthodoxy to meet the extengiencies on the ground.

American bureaucratic military orthodoxy is great when fighting a defined enemy a quite another when you are fighting an enemy who snipes at you from.behing evey rock and bush. Your very orthodoxy in that case works against you.

It seems that finally after 20 years in the bush the American military has adapted by going small scale sic e.g. using the same tactics as the enemy. Supported with the larger logistics capability and in using air power to give the decisive edge.

These places are virtually no win theaters. The goal is to neutralize the festering sore so that it does not escaluate. You do not want the cancers to morph and spread.

In the final analysis the Liberal mindset of tolerance of Islam is delusional as the precept of Islam is to have a pan Islamic theocratic world. It is their precept vs Western civilizations precept of the division of religion and secularism.. it is their way as set out by the infaliable Prophet or the highway at the point of a sword.