Expectation of Valor: Planning for the Iraq War

The book reveals extensive planning for post-war Iraq, despite the perception that there was none. It covers the challenges faced in dealing with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and the instructions given to Army, Marine, and coalition forces.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2024
Publisher: Casemate Publishers

The United States spent a significant amount of time in Iraq, leading to the perception that there was no consideration before the war of what should be done after coalition forces arrived in Baghdad and removed Saddam Hussein. However, as this unofficial history reveals, there was a great deal of planning to address how to achieve the policy objectives for Iraq set by the Bush administration. Kevin Benson, director of plans for the United States Third Army, the ground forces command headquarters for GEN Franks Central Command, at the start of the war, details the development of the invasion plan and its subsequent execution from D-Day in March 2003 until the change of command of operations in Iraq and the departure of Third Army in June 2003. He addresses the persistent trope that "the Army did no planning" for "Phase IV," revealing that extensive plans were proposed, and were met with very little interest in Washington. The book covers the difficulties encountered in dealing with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, from getting his approval on the number of forces requested to conducting the campaign to find the "smoking gun" of WMD; the instructions given to Army, Marine and coalition forces; and the daily secure video teleconferences with Central Command and the Pentagon, and the rather remarkable conversations and guidance that came from these meetings.

Weight: 500g
Dimension: 161 x 237 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781636244266