Battle for Fallujah: Occupation, Resistance And Stalemate in the War in Iraq [Paperback]

Vincent L. Foulk (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0786426772 | ISBN-13: 978-0786426775 | Publication Date: December 15, 2006

In May of 2003, Fallujah, Iraq, was a little known industrial town 45 minutes from Baghdad. There, heavily subsidized industries relied on the government of Sunni leader Saddam Hussein for their meager income and the people of Fallujah lived by the principles of loyalty and reward. Nevertheless, when American troops arrived in Iraq, these same Iraqis viewed the downfall of Saddam s regime as a result of his weakness (he had fallen from favor with God) rather than a testament to American strength. Although unimpressed with the Americans, Fallujah initially seemed willing to give them an opportunity to follow through with their promises of more jobs, improved living conditions and better medical aid. As the months passed, however, fulfillment was continually hampered by political red tape and military clashes escalated. The streets of Fallujah began to fill with insurgents, ultimately becoming a stronghold for Iraqi opposition to the American presence. This book chronicles America s struggle with the city of Fallujah. Beginning with the arrival of Americans on their way to Baghdad in 2003, it details the movements, counter-movements and misunderstandings that led up to the eventual standoff. It looks at how the power struggle in the inner circle of the CJTF-7 (essentially the American command) resulted in conflicting strategies for guiding the country to recovery a "War of Ideas" versus a "Test of Wills". Lack of cultural understanding, multiple political agendas and increasing outrages on both sides complicated an already tense situation. Finally, the work provides a day-by-day account of the siege which eventually retook the city of Fallujah in November 2004 (four months after occupation was scheduled to end).

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Vincent L. Foulk is currently serving in Iraq as an advisor to the Iraqi Government on investigating and prosecuting corruption.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company (December 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786426772
• ISBN-13: 978-0786426775
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,532,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Misleading, and poorly produced, September 20, 2007

By 

Scholar "18th century student" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Battle for Fallujah: Occupation, Resistance And Stalemate in the War in Iraq (Paperback)

This choice of title is significantly misleading on the part of either author or publisher, or both. It is not really all that much about the battle OF Fallujah, its about the battle FOR the hearts and minds of the people in the city through civil affairs programs, which the author concludes were woefully neglected by US military authorities in Iraq. Now, it could be true that the army and Marines did not focus much on civil affairs, but the author comes across as having a major axe to grind and loses credibility in the process. Moreover, he has not done his homework either. On page 23, he states that in one firefight, women and children were killed, according to the Fallujah General Hospital. What Foulk either does not know or chose to ignore, is that the hospital was completely sympathetic to the insurgents and was the source for a lot of propaganda and misinformation against coalition forces, and thus can not be trusted to provide accurate, truthful information. Unfort., Foulk takes the claim at face value, a big error. Another problem is that Foulk is not a writer. If you are going to write a book, you ought to have good prose, and be able to communicate in an effective, flowing narrative. Foulk fails badly here, as the book reads like the first draft of an undergraduate research project. (His transitions are jarring, he includes many unexplained references to people and places, and uses words such as "dove" when he means "dived.") I was not surprised to see that with such sub-par writing that the book was so poorly edited as well, given that the publisher--McFarland--has a track record of turning out shoddy work. In fact, I doubt anyone actually read it before publication. This is really a book to be avoided. One should read instead Bing West's "No True Glory."

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most accurate book I have read in years, February 6, 2007

By 

M. iller "traveler" (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Battle for Fallujah: Occupation, Resistance And Stalemate in the War in Iraq (Paperback)

This book gave me an insight into the history of the muslim religion and their internal struggles without it feeling like a history lesson. I now understand more about the War in Iraq than most of the reporters I hear on TV. Extrememly well written and so pertinent to todays events that this is a must read for anyone who cares about America, World Peace and our future.