The Snake Eaters: An Unlikely Band of Brothers and the Battle for the Soul of Iraq

A former U.S. Marine major with two tours in Iraq (and the author of two novels), West makes a convincing case for the importance of military advisers who train indigenous security forces to fight insurgencies, because indigenous forces know the language, the local people, and can more effectively root out insurgents. West says that the U.S.’s undermanned and inexperienced adviser teams posted a losing record in the Iraqi insurgent stronghold of Khalidiya, before he initiated his strategy of advising the Iraqi Battalion 3/3-1, “the Snake Eaters.” Aligning with Major Mohammed and his unit, West writes: “I became convinced that our own country could accomplish more with fewer forces and less money if we changed the way we fought....” He explains in vivid detail how Sunni and Shia career soldiers as well as the fresh-faced reservists and National Guardsmen operate in hostile territory with snipers, roadside bombs, and suicide bombers. Combining the might of his Iraqi allies, the goodwill of local civilians, and more savvy American troops, a perceptive adviser with distinct priorities and motivation led to a tamer Khalidiya, West concludes, spelling out clearer military methods with a speedier exit strategy usable for any future conflict. Agent: Dan Mandel, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (May)