War Stories: Operation Iraqi Freedom

I have not always been a big fan of Col. North's but know first-hand that he will tell it like it is, regardless of how unpopular his message may be. That, in my view, makes him a credible and valuable author, and this, a valuable testament to the men and women serving us in Iraq.


A Soldier's Story   May 9, 2004
 13 out of 17 found this review helpful

Oliver North's "War Stories: Operation Iraqi Freedom" is a straightforward and compelling view into the Iraqi war as told through the eyes and voices of the young American's who were fighting it. This is as refreshingly-far from the armchair generals and TV talking-head analysts as one can get, providing unique insight into what was happening as seen by North while embedded with the Marines as they fought their way from Kuwait to Baghdad to Tikrit in March-April, 2003. Told in a series of vignettes - "sitreps" in mil-speak" - Retired Marine Colonel North relates the story as he sees it, depending more on the perspective of the enlisted men than of the senior officers of his unit. North captures the details of day-to-day life in desert, where sacrifices are routine and acts of heroism common and mostly unsung. He delivers these tales with straight prose and clinical precision, resisting any temptation to sensationalize or to evoke pity. It is an honest and unvarnished view of the Iraq war, at least as seen through the rather narrow sights of the unit with which North traveled. (In fact, as North notes frequently, he and he troops on the ground had scant insight to the progress of the war in the "big picture". An occasional opportunity to catch a Fox News transmission were their best sources of intelligence).

It is unfortunate that some will dismiss or disparage this fine documentary simply because they disagree with Oliver North's political views. I happen to believe that Colonel North is an inspiration and a great American, but notwithstanding, "War Stories" is a powerful first-hand portrayal of one of the most important historical events of our time. If not for North, then read it as a tribute to our young volunteer armed forces who have sacrificed so much.


Great Book from a Great Man   February 24, 2004
 1 out of 8 found this review helpful

Colonel North recently visited my hometown to complete a segment of War Stories. I did not get to meet him but everyone who did felt he was the nicest and humblest person they had met. I look forward to reading the book but feel I should give it five stars just based on his personal merit.


A good, balanced read   February 24, 2004
 7 out of 9 found this review helpful

For those who think that Oliver North is simply a cheering section for our nation's military, read the book. Certainly retired Marine Lt. Col. North would be predisposed to like the armed services (not, in my view, a bad thing), but he does not hesitate to point out the flaws that the organization has. Check out the section on the pause during the war. Here and in other reports, North provides criticism of how things were being handled.

As a friend of Lt. Col. Jerry Driscoll, I was interested to see him featured repeatedly in "War Stories." I knew that North was imbedded with HMM-268 and that my friend and he interacted a lot. What I didn't know was what close scrapes my friend had been involved in, and this after talking with him shortly after his return from Iraq. So, Jerry, thank you for your service, and I expect that there are many families in America who owe the lives of their sons and daughters solely to the bravery of your and your Red Dragons.


NORTH GETS IT RIGHT!   February 21, 2004
 33 out of 35 found this review helpful

LtCol North gets it right in this book!

Unfortunately, unlike a soldier from Columbus, GA who wrote the review dtd 16 January. The soldier impugns the veracity of LtCol North's account of the evacuation of a dead corpsman. How do I know what really happened? I am the pilot who DID evacuate the corpsman, and I can vouch for the version in the book. The statistics of the Medical Company in question have little or no bearing on whether this happened like North says it did. The Company should be offended at the actions of one of their own members, and not at North for telling the truth.

While there are minor inaccuracies in this book, (e.g., he lists my unit as Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 when it was actually 269) they are not substantive, nor do they alter the gist of the individual stories. This is a great read - LtCol North got it right!

Major Timothy Kolb