Two "must read" Iraq books....

[Bigmack]

"Babylon by Bus" by Lemoine and Neumann

Kind of an H.S. Thompson trip to Baghdad.

"The true story of two friends who gave up their valuable franchise selling YANKEES SUCK t-shirts at Fenway to find meaning and adventure in Iraq, where they became employed by the occupation in jobs for which they lacked qualification and witnessed much that amazed and disturbed them."

From the Acknowledgements:
"To the people of Iraq, we apologize for the reckless, unplanned, understaffed, corrupt, and wasteful way in which our country occupied and then failed at rebuilding your shattered nation. For every innocent mother or father, son or daughter, sister or brother, friend or family member who was killed, tortured, or injured by out country, we extend our deepest sympathy."
- - - -

"Chasing Ghosts" by Paul Rieckhoff

A grunt's eye view of the war. Very real.

His first chapter:
"George Bush had better be fucking right"

His last words in the book:
"George Bush wasn't fucking right. But now we have the means to fix what he broke. We fought for America in Iraq. It's time for the next fight - the fight for America back home.

Bring it on."

[applegrove]

1. Don't forget "Assassin's Gate".