Part 44 (1/2)
Chapter 24: The Puppies
The January 2009 attacks on the outpost were described in interviews with Pecha, Meshkin, Mazzocchi, Safulko, and Tucker.
Information about the Kamdesh radio station was offered by Bodmer and Markert.
Details about President Obama's plans for Afghanistan were provided in official announcements by the President; in interviews with White House advisers Denis McDonough and Ben Rhodes, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, and Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell; and by other, unnamed sources.
Mullen's and Gates's views of McKiernan were described by unnamed Pentagon sources.
Events at the February 15, 2009, shura were recounted in an ISAF memo obtained by the author.
Pecha and Tucker's meeting with the contractors was recalled by both men in interviews.
Information about the cost of various projects was furnished by an unnamed source.
Safulko told the story about the dogs' turning and their subsequent end in an interview.
The unrealized plans for a new observation post, to be named after Yllescas, were described by Pecha, Markert, Spiszer, and Victorino.
Information about the attack on Bari Alai came from interviews with Spiszer and Markert. Pirtle's concerns, expressed to his parents, were first reported on HDNET's ”Dan Rather Reports: What Happened at Bari Alai,” on September 12, 2011. Wade Zirkle of the Fox News Channel claimed on May 15, 2009, that the ISAF was investigating whether the ANA might have been involved.
The email from Brown was provided to the author by Brown.
The closure of COP Lybert was described in an interview with Spizer and also in Michael Gisick, ”Fateful Day Brings Post Back to War's Reality,” Stars and Stripes, Stars and Stripes, September 25, 2008. In an interview, Cheryl Lee Nussberger recalled her concern over the enemy's propaganda video about the closure of the base named after her son. September 25, 2008. In an interview, Cheryl Lee Nussberger recalled her concern over the enemy's propaganda video about the closure of the base named after her son.
Chapter 25: Pericles in Kamdesh
Information about 3-71 Cav's arrival at the outpost was taken from interviews with Bundermann, Burton, and Cordova.
Safulko recalled his conversation with Kirk in an interview. Kirk's schedule was shared by his wife, Gavin-Kirk, in an interview. Information about Kirk during his time with 1-91 Cav came from interviews with Kolenda and Springer.
Thucydides, The History of the Peloponnesian War, The History of the Peloponnesian War, translated by Richard Crawley (London: Dover, 2004). translated by Richard Crawley (London: Dover, 2004).
Information about the attack that wounded Shane Scherer was gleaned from interviews with Scherer, Witherington, Cordova, and Safulko.
Sources for Book Three
A major source for the information presented in book 3 was the November 3, 2009, ”AR 15-6 Investigation re: COP Keating Attack of 3 Oct 09 Department of the Army,” by Major General Guy Swan III, along with its supporting doc.u.ments, obtained by the author. These are collectively referred to as the ”Swan report” below.
In addition, the following individuals were interviewed for book 3: Jonathan Adams Vanessa Adelson, mother of Stephan Mace Armando Avalos Kyle Barnes Janpatrick Barroga Jordan Bellamy Kirk Birchfield John Breeding Brad Brown Connie Brown, mother of Vernon Martin Jory Brown Shane Brown, a Burlington, North Carolina, police staff sergeant Andrew Bundermann Cashet Burks, girlfriend of Vernon Martin Ronald Burton Stephen Cady Ty Carter Dan Casey Kerri Griffin Causley, mother of Chris Griffin Christopher Chappell Chris Cordova Shane Courville Martins Dabolins Kevin Daise Josh Dannelley Nicholas Davidson Noor Din Seward Dinsmore, uncle of Josh Kirk Mark Dulaney Faruq (not his real name) Ed Faulkner, Sr., father of Ed Faulkner, Jr.
Cody Floyd John Francis Jeremy Frunk Megan Gavin-Kirk, widow of Josh Kirk Randy George Robert Gibbs Robert Gilberto (not his real name) Justin Gregory Damien Grissette Eric Harder Olivia Hardt, widow of Josh Hardt Mary Henry, mother of Eric Harder Jon Hill Robert Hull Jeff Jacops Greg Jaffe of the Was.h.i.+ngton Post, Was.h.i.+ngton Post, who was incredibly generous with his time, his impressions from the period when he was embedded with 3-61 Cav, and his reporting on the aftermath of the October 3, 2009, attack who was incredibly generous with his time, his impressions from the period when he was embedded with 3-61 Cav, and his reporting on the aftermath of the October 3, 2009, attack Chris Jones Kellan Kahn Bernadette Kirk-Bonner, mother of Josh Kirk Kyle Knight Jeffrey Kology, a Burlington, North Carolina, police investigator Zach Koppes Janis Lakis Brad Larson Ross Lewallen Amanda Marr, former wife of Justin Gallegos) Brittany Martin, widow of Vernon Martin Stan McChrystal Brendan McCriskin Denis McDonough Matthew McMurtrey Aaron Miller Sarah Faulkner Minor, sister of of Ed Faulkner, Jr.
Jake Miraldi Geoff Morrell Dante Paradiso Melvin Porter Stoney Portis Ted Priester Tom Rasmussen Ben Rhodes Daniel Rodriguez Dan Rogers Clint Romesha Debbie Routson, mother of Kevin Thomson Ben Salentine Justin Sax Mike Scaparrotti Cason Shrode Jayson Souter James Stanley, Jr.
Keith Stickney T. G. Taylor Albert ”Cookie” Thomas Jessica Tingley, sister of Josh Kirk Nick Paton Walsh Stuart Webb Rob Wilson Jordan Wong Cynthia Woodard, mother of Michael Scusa Christopher Wright Brad Zagol
Chapter 26: The General's Competing Considerations
Herac.l.i.tus' precise words, as quoted in G.T.W. Patrick's Herac.l.i.tus of Ephesus: The Fragments of the Works of Herac.l.i.tus of Ephesus on Nature Herac.l.i.tus of Ephesus: The Fragments of the Works of Herac.l.i.tus of Ephesus on Nature (Chicago: Argonaut, 1969), were ”Into the same river you could not step twice, for other
The description of Porter's command was drawn from interviews with Porter, Brown, and myriad troops and officers from 3-61 Cav, as well as from the Swan report.
Mullen's and Gates's views of McKiernan were pa.s.sed along by unnamed Pentagon sources.
McKiernan's telling Gates, ”You're going to have to fire me,” was reported in Rajiv Chandrasekaran, ”Pentagon Worries Led to Command Change,” Was.h.i.+ngton Post, Was.h.i.+ngton Post, August 17, 2009. August 17, 2009.
Gates's and Mullen's remarks were taken from a transcript of the May 11, 2009, press conference.
The a.s.sessments and views of McChrystal were taken from interviews with McChrystal and other, anonymous Pentagon officials.
The June 2, 2007, exchange between Senator Lindsey Graham and McChrystal was taken from a transcript of the hearings. This was first noted as a troubling moment for White House officials in Bob Woodward, Obama's Wars Obama's Wars (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010), a conclusion that was later confirmed by White House officials. McChrystal shared his views in an interview. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010), a conclusion that was later confirmed by White House officials. McChrystal shared his views in an interview.
A certain wariness toward the White House in general and Vice President Biden's office in particular was reflected in interviews with anonymous Pentagon officials.
Greg Jaffe's interview with McChrystal ran in the Was.h.i.+ngton Post Was.h.i.+ngton Post on June 16, 2009, and was ent.i.tled ”Gen. McChrystal, New Afghanistan Commander, Will Review Troop Placements.” Woodward's story appeared on July 1, 2009, also in the on June 16, 2009, and was ent.i.tled ”Gen. McChrystal, New Afghanistan Commander, Will Review Troop Placements.” Woodward's story appeared on July 1, 2009, also in the Was.h.i.+ngton Post, Was.h.i.+ngton Post, under the headline ”U.S. Says Key to Success in Afghanistan Is Economy, Not Military.” under the headline ”U.S. Says Key to Success in Afghanistan Is Economy, Not Military.”
Plans for the closure of COP Keating were related in interviews with George, Brown, Scaparrotti, McChrystal, and other, anonymous officers and NCOs.
Biographical information about Breeding was provided by him in interviews.
Information about the mortar pit came from interviews with Breeding, Rodriguez, and Barroga.
Information about Kevin Thomson was gleaned from interviews with his fellow troops and his mother, Debbie Routson.
Disagreements between Porter and his troops were reported in interviews with Porter, Jones, Rasmussen, Breeding, Romesha, and others.
Biographical information about Romesha came from interviews with him.
McChrystal's July 6, 2009, tactical directive was issued by NATO/ISAF.
Information about the attack that wounded Jacops was taken from interviews with Jacops and Cordova.
Brown's presentations to McChrystal and others were described in interviews with Brown, McChrystal, George, Scaparrotti, and others. McCrystal's competing considerations were summarized in interviews with McCrystal, Scaparrotti, George, and Brown.