Customer Reviews

Big Boy Rules: America's Mercenaries Fighting in Iraq

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As an honorably discharged Viet Nam era veteran I try to keep an insightful eye on the transformations that seem to inevitably take place in every war... as assuredly as night follows day. From the battle field strategies maneuvering battalions... to the increasing use of sniper teams... to the current... almost unbelievable use of large... larger... and largest... *PRIVATE ARMIES*. Call them mercenaries (merc's) if you desire... but in today's reality it has almost become a militarized-privatized-Fortune-500 Army. There's an old expression that says "art imitates life"... well I am a witness to "life imitating art"! About a year ago I read a military novel that was built around a Bill Gates type character... who instead of owning Microsoft... he owned a gigantic private military company that would fight America's wars. I thought that was a ridiculous premise... until I read this book. One of the many deceitful things that the author pulls out from behind a very thick government curtain, is how a large company gets a contract from the state department for security forces... then that large company... sub-contracts the contract to a smaller company... who sub-contracts to another smaller contractor... Ad Nauseam. Embedded in the heretofore unexplored upsurge in "merc's" in Iraq, is the fact that the Government doesn't include the number of "sub-contracted" private army personnel, when they divulge to the public how large a fighting force they're using. The government also hasn't been including the "merc's" in their casualty counts.

Once the reader feels indoctrinated into the daily brutality of the war in Iraq... and is shocked as to the almost "lawlessness" of the military contractor's... just when you feel you can't be taken aback any further... you're hit with the legal order that governs "merc's": "COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY ORDER NUMBER 17 (CPA-ORDER 17) GRANTED MERCENARIES AND OTHER CONTRACTORS IMMUNITY FROM IRAQI LAW. THE IMMUNITY WAS TO REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL THE DEPARTURE OF THE FINAL ELEMENT OF THE MNF (MULTINATIONAL FORCES) FROM IRAQ, OR UNTIL THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT OVERTURNED IT. THAT, EVERYONE KNEW, WAS UNLIKELY AT LEAST IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE." The "merc's" were basically given a license to kill... and their utter disdain for treating the local people with respect... defeats the entire concept of winning the Iraqi's hearts. As the author Steve Fainaru (whose brother Mark, is the co-author of the book "Game Of Shadows" that unleashed documented evidence against Barry Bonds and his steroid use.) travels with one military contractor and becomes close with some of their employees, he gets a call from home that his elderly cancer ridden Father is close to dying. This is a beautifully written pivotal point in the story. The entire direction of the story changes... and the author handles it like the beauty of a metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly. Though there was death all around him in Iraq... this is more than the dying of a man's Father... it is the utter loving compassion of a son to a Father... and it is the strength and dignity of a Father facing death... with an energy for life... even though cancer... has taken his natural energy.

What happens next would not be believed if created in a movie script. Right after Steve leaves Iraq the "merc" that he had personally gotten closest to, was part of a group of "merc's" that were taken hostage. The ensuing part of the story leads the reader through the sad... yet beautiful ending of a Father's life... and the untold horrors of the hostage situation... through the eyes of the author and the hostage's poor anguished families. This story will open your eyes to a "new" part of today's war that has not been scrutinized near enough... and it will open your heart... on more than one front. This is simply an exquisite reporting job by the author.

I recently completed this read. I found Mr. Fainaru's depiction of the experiences and lives of the mercenaries to be frank, eye opening, sometimes humorous and in many cases very heartrending.

Steve describes the chronological events in graphic detail and paints a picture of life and death in Iraq. His portrayal of the months leading up to and the last days of Jon Cote's life describe a young man obviously tortured by events from his past and struggling to find peace. His outlet, the Iraq War.

The spotlight on the irrational decisions and careless actions of Jon's employer, that set the stage for the events that stole Jon's life and those of his comrades, as well as, Mr. Fainaru's descriptions of the actions of other unscrupulous private security companies, show how volatile situations are for those serving or simply surviving in Iraq.

I would recommend this book to others seeking to read a well written human interest on the War in Iraq.

I am an American. I had no idea all this was going on. This is a great behind the scenes look at the lives of military contractors on the ground in Iraq. The main story is about the security contractors, but we also get a glimpse of those who hire them, the other contractors who deliver supplies and build bridges and are simply there to rebuild Iraq. Its amazing that we get anything done over there. The shocking part was how so few people will sign up for this kind of work that these companies must pay HUGE salaries and take anyone they can get, qualified or not, sane or not. The whole thing sounds like a big cluster f---. I could not put this book down. Read it in about 8 hours.

Steve Fainaru's new book Big Boy Rules: America's Mercenaries Fighting in Iraq is an eye-opening story of what is being done in the name of America in Iraq. The need for private security contracting became clear early on in Iraq, as our volunteer army was spread thin. Fainaru presents what this contracting entails, using one company, Crescent Security Group, and one contractor, Jon Cote, as his primary focus. What Fainaru describes is a degree of lawlessness that will lead to the discomfort of most readers, and the sadness of how individuals who are trying both to help America in Iraq as well as make money are treated when things don't work out as planned. The tattoo on a former Marine summarized the situation: "The unwanted, doing the unforgiveable, for the ungrateful." (p. xii). Sammy Jamison, the convoy manager for one contractor, ArmorGroup, said, "We can't ask the Iraqi people to respect the law if we don't do it ourselves." (p. 131). As for Jon Cote and those like him, Fainaru noted, "But it was an ugly business he had gotten himself into, perhaps the ugliest business there was." (p. 215). Big Boy Rules makes for uncomfortable and informative reading. The book expands on the Pulitzer prize-winning reporting that Fainaru has done for The Washington Post. There are costs to this war that higher than most reports describe, and Fainaru's book puts a human face on these costs.

Rating: Four-star (Highly Recommended)

Author Steve Fainaru's detailed and emotional story about contract mercenaries fighting in Iraq is not only timely, but also presents a side of that war that needs to be shown. In his book, "Big Boy Rules: America's Mercenaries fighting In Iraq" , we get a sometimes ugly realization that this war is being waged in an unprecedented way. It certainly makes one stop and rethink the direction this country has taken with how this war and future wars will be fought.

Fainaru lets the reader actually know these me. They are not some faceless warrior. That is what makes this book stand out. He interviews them and finds out what makes them who they are and why some of them are there. It is by letting us see the very human side of this story that makes all that happens ever so more emotional and tragic.

The book is not some dry impersonal tale of a war. The author takes us on a personal journey with some of those men fighting and dying there. The book will make you think. It will make you angry. It will might even move some readers to tears. What it won't ever do is bore you! The book is entertaining and action filled. It is well written and is sure to win this author much praise for his literary skills. This book is brilliantly crafted. The book is worthy of The Military Writer's Society of America's top book rating of FIVE STARS! It is really that good! I personally recommend it.

I must say first that being a PMC is not a bad thing and second most PMC companies are good and obey the rules of the military and the host country. I worked for a PMC in Kuwait 2004-2005 and enjoyed it very much.
This book shows a light on the companies who think they are in the wild west. There attitude to the rules set forth by the State Department & Military and law of the the host nation. Also the so called "highly trained specialist" hired by companies. There are only so many special operation focres personal to go around.
Yes, he does get side tracked by the death of this father and bothers legal troubles, but the book still covers the PMCs very well.
Read "A bloody business" 1st and then read this one and you will see the good and bad of the PMCs in iraq.

While this book read the way life happens - pieces connected randomly to other pieces - I thought it might be a stronger read if it was more structured. I rated it a four star for content but a three for presentation.

As I finished reading this book President Obama is in England. A reporter was saying how in France it's big news if even one French soldier is killed. When you contrast that to the picture painted in Big Boy Rules it's a rather sad statement about Americans. We've lost 4,914 as of today and that does include all of the 'independent contractors.' This book personalizes the experience and drive how companies weigh the cost of a life against the financial cost of safety equipment. It also makes me worry about the soldiers coming back - it's a big adjustment and I hope that the military (and the American public) handles it better than they have in previous wars.

It was an interesting read. I'm reading Blackwater next so it will be interesting to the contrasting experiences.

Steve's book provides an excellent overview to the ongoing issue of outsourcing security to private for profit companies. Having worked the Emergency Operations Center-Movement Cell (EOC-MC) at Balad/Anaconda in 2005, I was aware of the dispute between the military and civilian PSD companies. There were many instances of conflict based on doctrinal operational standards to include the "hearts and minds" component of the overall mission in Iraq.

The outsourcing of security under the Bush-Cheney and Rice era caused untold problems for the military in Iraq and no doubt caused the deaths of some of our Soldiers and Marines.

Ironic title.. It should have been titled 'No Rules!'. I was blown away at the total lack of regard for human life on both sides of this issue. Well written tragic story.

This book is not only true, but is still currently in the news. The recent charges against 14 of the mercenaries for killing innocent civilians (women and children) will keep this story on the front pages for quite some time to come. As for the writing itself , the author won a pulitzer prize for the story. What more needs to be said? I live very near one of the men in the story so I had a special interest in reading it. It is a book for all to read regardless of your views on the war. You will find things out that no T.V. or newspaper will take the time to report....HIGHLY RECOMENDED!!!!!!!!!!!