Iraq and Back: Inside the War to Win the Peace

by Kim Olson

In April 2003, soon after Operation Iraqi Freedom had been declared a success, President Bush sent retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Jay Garner to Iraq to rebuild the country. As Garner's executive officer, the author of this book was part of the senior leadership circle charged with three tasks. They were to reconstruct Iraq's infrastructure, provide humanitarian assistance, and lay the foundation for a democratic process to take hold. But not long after their arrival in the rubble and ruin of Iraq, the political, military, and economic wheels ground to a halt and theirs became a mission improbable. In this book, Air Force Colonel Kim Olson tells how and why. Readers are privy to the candid discussions of U.S. generals frustrated by operating in a policy void. They sit at the table with Iraqi leaders who warn of an impending insurgency if the proclamations crafted by ill-informed and arrogant policy makers are implemented. And they share Olson's fear as Saddam's death squads attempt to assassinate her in an explosion of bullets.
This gripping, firsthand account of what went wrong is seen from Olson's unique point of view as a senior female military officer, pilot, wife, and mother. Many of the stories she tells are known to only the handful of people involved, including a mission to rescue two Iraqi women and details of early meetings with tribal leaders to discuss building a coalition government--an effort quashed by Garner's successor. Her haunting descriptions of Shiite families searching for loved ones in Saddam's killing fields and malnourished children in the town of Umn Qasr untouched by the International Oil-for-Food Program, will remain with readers long after they close the book. From the decisions of political leaders and military commanders to everyday encounters with the Iraqi people and informal conversations with soldiers, such a wealth of honest, insider information is rare. No other author weaves together military, political, and humanistic insights so effectively.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2006

Reviews

[Jimmie Pike · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's amazing to get this perspective on the matter of rebuilding Iraq. Kim Olson is an absolute powerhouse, and I wish things had turned more in her favor.

[Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

POPSUGAR 2019: two books that share the same title (2)

[John Maberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of being in a writing class with Kim Olson as she worked on this book. The raw writing was very entertaining and interesting, including the humorous incident of a wave at a passing local as she got caught in mid-stream during a pit-stop in an open field. Then there was the disaster of her civilian boss suggesting to the Air Force Chief of Staff that she should be promoted and where she should be assigned--derailing her career at its apex.

Some reviewers fault her criticism of the Bush administration officials and others; I wish there was more of it. At the same time, knowing what she intended to write and what I see in the book, I think some miss the point in thinking this book is primarily about her experience in Iraq or the relative merits of ORHA versus CPA. I don't believe it is. If it were, she could have said much more about the lack of adequate resources for reconstructing Iraq. She could have assessed whether the way we went about fighting the war made sense. But she had only a brief relationship with Iraq and had to do the best job given the resources and knowledge available at the time. That being said, I see the book using Iraq as an anchor around which the bigger boat floats.

I see this book as being about the issue of Iraq reconstruction but about much more. About the harsh challenges, the rampant sexism, that women have faced in advancing in the military--in this case the Air Force, especially those who chose to fly and to command men. About the conflicts between roles as a mother and an officer that she encountered. About the interesting ways that a woman may be better at resolving some issues than men. It is about how she overcame all the impediments that were put in her way and became an outstanding officer in the Air Force. It also reveals the good old boy club is far from dead--shooting her down in the end despite her record. It is worthwhile reading to get a different perspective on all these issues and more.

[Sonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I met the author at a leadership conference and purchased the book from her. It was great insight into the life of our military and the sacrifices they make to serve our country. My favorite pearls of wisdom form the book:

"Women pioneers, some would say, had to break invisible barriers or shatter glass ceilings. I did not subscribe to the glass-ceiling analogy. Slamming into those ceilings hurts. The toll of shattering barriers can be emotional and personal and can sometimes cost a career. If you break a glass ceiling, chances are the shards of glass will not only rain down on you but also make it more difficult for those who must follow in your wake. The repercussions can last for years. Finally, sometimes those very ceilings turn out to be the floors of support you need for the next level of your professional journey. I found another route to my military career. Rather than smashing glass ceilings, women in nontraditional careers should start unlocking the doors of opportunity. The secret is finding those enlightened men who hold the keys."

"A good leader passes on those he has grounded and mentored to the next mentor."

[Graciela Tiscareno-Sato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colonel Olson's first-hand accounts of her days in Iraq left me feeling like I had been right there with her in those early hellish days. It's rare indeed to read the voices of women who were THERE in theater, in uniform. Even more rare is it to see the events through the eyes of a senior female officer who was also a mother of school-aged children at the time of her deployment.

Read this book for an entirely different, eloquent perspective of the first days in Iraq after we broke it.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book in a couple of days after hearing Ms. Olson speak at a symposium. She is an inspiring woman with more grit in her pinky toe than a room full of people. I was fascinated by her story and the behind the scene perspective of the Iraq reconstruction efforts. I can't recommend this book enough!

[Michael Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book on the early days of Iraqi reconstruction.