 | By: Gregory Fontenot
Reviewed By: Roger Cirillo
The Association of the United States Army is proud to have been given permission to publish the Army’s story of Operation Iraqi Freedom, On Point, by Colonel (Retired) Gregory Fontenot and his team at the Command and General Staff College. This is the first public, printing of the Leavenworth study available for the general reading public. The Army recognized that the writing of an official history would take years, due to issues of classification, national sensitivities of allies, and the time distancing needed for overall objectivity, while at the same time it recognized that a more immediate assessment of operations must be made, not simply for training and doctrinal analysis, but to provide the public with a record of its Army’s accomplishments. The resulting product, On Point, fit this procrustean bed without causing accuracy, analysis, or conciseness to suffer. While television provided an unparalleled coverage of the war, this book places actions and decisions in context far better than the impressionistic reports or photos of journalists ever could. For the soldier, this is a must read. For those thinking that ground forces can be replaced by aerial systems alone, manned or unmanned, this is a must read. For those who believe that going to war on tracks is a passé approach, this is a must read. And for future students of the Persian Gulf war, and the United States in Iraq this will be the mandatory starting point. AUSA has sought to find the best books for soldiers and its membership to read, as well as books that will educate the public about the contributions of the Army. It is a happy event when we can fit this bill with a book. With On Point, we think we have rung the bell. Colonel Fontenot has been invited to speak on this book and sign copies at the annual AUSA meeting in October. Read the book, and then come talk to him there. |