Mechanization hurts COIN forces

[Cavguy]

I just always wondered why C 1/2 ACR isn't normally included as being a participant that night. Now I have an answer. For that, I thank you!

Really, no one's written a comprehensive history of that night. Some small stories discussed above, but an enterprising writer/historian could make quite a book of April 2004 - the month that defined the next 2 years in Iraq (Sadr Rebellion and 1st Fallujah). Alternately titled "When the wheels came off the Bus". Actually, I believe the tipping point was the UN Bombing in August 2003, when the NGO's all left immediately afterwards and the terror campaign began full swing.

Were you there that day at the UN Bombing? I watched LTC Calvert get his ass chewed by LTG Sanchez in a supreme display of bad leadership and character given the miracles worked by 2ACR that day. LTG Sanchez's conduct that day still gets me mad. Alternately, I got my first media appearance on CNN. Reporters were running amok just after it happened, and we couldn't control them from running into the rubble with cameras. My BN S3 asked me to get them under control. I shouted "WHO WANTS A BRIEFING!" as loud as I could. It was like throwing those fish food pebbles in a koi pond. Immediately I had 20 cameras shoved in my face, and I gave a ten minute session where I told them essentially that yes, the building was bombed, and no, we didn't know what it was yet. The funniest question was a female reporter who shouted "Was it an RPG?" when behind me was a hotel blown in half.

Did get them out of the rubble while the perimeter was set.