Under the Gun in Iraq: My Year Training the Iraqi Police (Hardcover)

~ Robert Cole; Jan Hogan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"What happens when you drop an experienced American cop in the middle of a war zone -- with very little preparation or support -- to train Iraqi police? Under the Gun in Iraq tells you in high fidelity detail about this vital aspect of U.S. efforts to build a nation." -- Bryan Vila, Ph.D. is a professor at Washington State University. He is a former Marine, L.A. Street cop and cross-cultural police trainer.

Product Description

"One moment, I was standing there with my buddies unloading a truck. The next moment, my ears picked up the distinct `pssst' sound homing in on us....

"Hit the ground!" someone yelled.

"Right behind the first mortar was a second, then a third, then a fourth. They each slammed into the earth with an enormous impact. The ground shook. The eight-story building above us shuddered, and we all covered our heads when the windows blew out.

"As I lay there with glass and debris raining down on me, all I could think was, `Holy shit, what did I get myself into?'"

President Bush is fond of saying, "When Iraq can stand up, America can stand down." A large part of "standing up" is having a well-trained police force in place to maintain peace and order.

Why is it taking so long to put a solid police force together? How prepared are the Iraqis to carry out their duties? What pitfalls are Americans facing as they try to get Iraqi police up to speed?

In this book Robert Cole--a retired California police officer hired by DynCorp as an international police trainer--presents a vivid account of the challenges of training the Iraqis to handle their own security. In blunt, everyday language, Cole gives the reader an unusually candid and often hair-raising glimpse into reality at the street level as he and his colleagues navigate the dangerous sectors of Baghdad, Tikrit, and Kirkuk, dodging explosions and bullets aimed at them by young, Iraqi, wannabe heroes.

Cole describes situations not shown in the media that fly in the face of the party line from Washington: men in their sixties being hired as policemen, Iraqi detectives who extract information from people by ramming toothpicks under their fingernails, officers suggesting that the best way to subdue potential suspects who flee is by shooting them in the back, police hunkered down in their barracks who refuse to patrol neighborhoods for fear of violence, an enemy that easily blends into a population armed to the teeth with loaded AK-47s, and the routine frustrations of cultural and language barriers to communication.

In sharp contrast to the usual bromides about staying the course, Under the Gun in Iraq paints a brutally realistic picture of the bleak, perilous road ahead. This is essential reading for all Americans seeking an honest understanding of the dire situation in Iraq.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (September 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591025559
• ISBN-13: 978-1591025559
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #386,479 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truth is refreshing, October 12, 2007

By	R. Ruiz (Bronx, New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Finally, an objective account from a subjective angle. No, that is not as contradictory as it may seem -- Robert Cole has captured the reality of life and limb in Iraq, and delivered it with bold sensitivity at a time when faux-experts (politicians) seek to paint a picture far from the reality that Mr. Cole has lived and survived. This is not a matter of massaging egos and presenting rosy pictures to dupe the public.... and it is far from a save-face approach.... more like an in-your-face introduction to the hardships that plague both Iraqi and American in Iraq. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to be there, getting a sense of it all through Mr. Cole's eyes.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Iraq is not the US, July 13, 2008

By	Douglas L. Beste "SacDoug44" (Sacramento,CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mr Cole has written a nice little story book about Iraq. I believe the only thing he knew about Iraq was, it is hot in the summer and the people spoke a differant language.
As a former Army MP,Police Officer and Contract worker in Kuwait,I knew going in that persons from from arab countries did things very differant.
After 3 months of living in Kuwait, I was never surprised at the things I saw.
Mr Cole never seemed to understand that. He just asummed that all police do and act like police from the USA. From basic police patroling to investagation work. They just spent 30 some years under a dictator rule, they were not police officers, they were security officers. To keep ones job and life they had to keep their mouths shut and play the game.
If you go to any county to work,learn about the culture and it's people 1st. It will make your life and job so much more enjoyable.
I am glad that I did not buy this book,it was a gift. If you want to read it, get a used discounted or library copy.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars credible account - highly recommended, February 15, 2008

By	Steve (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

I found nothing in the book that was slightest bit unbelievable. It takes a certain amount of courage to tell the truth regarding Iraq when there are so many powerful (and well-armed) people wedded to comfortable (and profitable) lies and delusions. Other reviewers claim that Robert Cole is lying or distorting. Well, fine, - but why? Where's his profit? Nothing he has to say is the slightest bit sensational or an expose likely to increase sales of his book.