In the Winter of 2006, the first
250 of 20,000 Marines departed from a remote California air base for their turn
in the annual rotation to Iraq. Anbar Province
in western Iraq is the apex of the Sunni Triangle and was the focus of
coalition efforts until the Iraqi-on-Iraqi attack at the Golden Mosque of
Samarra resulted in a conflagration of sectarian violence. These are my personal notes and essays on
what I witnessed as the Marine Force Public Affairs Director. This is not written for personal glory, but
in humility and admiration for the courage and selflessness of the men and
women who served with the I Marine Expeditionary Force.
