Unremitting: The Marine “Bastard” Battalion and the Savage Battle that Marked the True Start of America’s War in Iraq

by Gregg Zoroya

From the former USA Today journalist and author of The Chosen Few, the untold story of The Battle of Ramadi, which led to a war that would last seven years, claim thousands of lives and evolve into a traumatic legacy for the US military and its veterans.

Their nickname was the Magnificent Bastards and they were warriors without a war. Kept stateside after 9/11 and left floating in the Pacific during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the thousand Marines of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment were told they were bench-warmers as America sent troops into combat. But war was waiting. Iraq would explode in violence exactly one year after a U.S. led Coalition swept into Baghdad and the Magnificent Bastards would find themselves at the epicenter. When the battalion first arrived in the provincial capital of Ramadi, Iraq, in February of 2004, they were thrust into a savage battle where hundreds of insurgents organized a three-day offensive aimed at driving the Marines out of their city of 400,000.

In Unremitting, journalist Gregg Zoroya tells the fast-paced, dramatic, and meticulously-researched story of the battle that truly began the Iraq War. Capturing the heroism, courage, and brutality of battle, Zoroya explores this vital part of American military history and beyond, showing how Ramadi was not just a game-changer for the Iraq War, but also for the marines, sailors, and soldiers who fought it, the trauma remaining with survivors more than two decades later.

Genres: Nonfiction

432 pages, Hardcover

Published June 17, 2025

Reviews

[Brian Weigelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly rewritten with incredible detail. It tells the story of the Magnificent Bastards whose story was lost in the focus on Fallujah. It was a difficult read for me because it brought so many memories of being there. But it was worth it.

[James Brundage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic narrative of a fantastic Marine battalion. I'm slightly biased, having been a member of Fox Company for both Ramadi deployments, but it truly is a great account of our 7 months there in 2004.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unremitting pulls no punches in showing what it was like on the ground during the fierce battles in Ramadi. It's raw, violent, and emotionally draining, so much so that I had to take breaks while reading. The courage of the soldiers is undeniable, but the book also exposes the mistakes made, and the lack of support in terms of both equipment and planning by leadership. It shows the impossible challenge of fighting an enemy hidden among civilians. Its a tough read, but one that taught me a great deal about the realities and atrocities of modern warfare.

[Gareth Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read; the endless loss of life was extremely depressing.

[Mark Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remarkably insightful you-are-there account of the prolonged battle for the Iraq city of Ramadi and the men -- many of them still teenagers -- who fought with outstanding valor.

[Urey Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest, unvarnished - the Magnificent Bastards of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines fought almost continuously over the summer of 2004 in Ramadi. They were magnificent, as is this account of their time in combat. It is stirring, awesome, frequently heart-breaking. Semper fi, you Magnificent Bastards!