"Alan King lived a unique war experience.... Twice Armed tells the tale with sympathy and insight." — Betsy Pisik,
"Provides a unique view of U.S. operations in Iraq from street level to top level, Iraqi and American. Captures the complexity of Iraqi society and the courage of Iraqis as they strive for security and prosperity. Bluntly notes the Administration's numerous errors and continued failure to develop and resource a strategy, and then provides a different path to success in Iraq." —Col. Thomas X. Hammes, USMC (Ret.); author, "In the tradition of The Seven Pillars of Wisdom and A Bell for Adano, Colonel King captivates with accounts of his trust and extraordinary rapport with Arab sheiks. "This well-written narrative is absorbing, exciting, and suspenseful, occasionally humorous, often poignant, and frustrating with horrifying details of attacks from ambushes and improvised explosive devices.... Colonel King's important policy recommendations deserve careful consideration." —Maj. Gen. William R. Berkman, AUS (Ret.),
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For more information:
Callie R. Oettinger, callie@o-a-inc.com
Ph: 703-451-2476,
Fax: 703-451-6870
Twice Armed
“We are twice armed if we fight with faith.” —Plato
An insider’s story of how a modern-day Lawrence of Arabia—also one of the most decorated veterans of the Iraqi conflict—proved that understanding a culture is the key to real progress in making the world safer and saner—and is more powerful than brute force.
"A strong, factual account from a deeply knowledgeable insider of what went wrong in Iraq, what went right, and how we could still win there. Read it."
—Thomas E. Ricks, Washington Post military correspondent,
author
of Fiasco: The American Military Adventure
in Iraq
"I highly recommend this book to both the fiercest opponents and most steadfast supporters of America's Iraq war."
—Charlie Ryan, network news producer
Twice Armed: An American Soldier's Battle for Hearts and Minds in Iraq, by Lt. Col. R. Alan King, is the story of an unconventional soldier—a modern-day T.E. Lawrence—whose understanding, respect, and willingness to practice the customs of the Islamic world allowed him to help rebuild a country whose hope had been crushed by Saddam Hussein, and to introduce democracy to generations that had known only oppression.
King knew that progress in Iraq would be more than a simple matter of securing cities, unlocking jails and deposing a despot. Iraq has been occupied since 579 B.C., and generation after generation has had to learn to survive under an occupier's law.
King served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 19, 2003, through July 4, 2004, first as a Civil Affairs battalion commander, then as the Deputy Director, Office of Provincial Outreach, Coalition Provisional Authority, Baghdad, Iraq.
In Twice Armed, Lt. Col R. Alan King describes leading the Coalition's Tribal Affairs and Sunni outreach programs, and how meeting over 3,500 sheikhs and clerics—how he came to understand Iraq, and how he gained the trust and support (on occasion, support to the death) of the people who live there.
He gained their friendship and trust often by demonstrating what Islam and Christianity have in common. With a broad knowledge of both the Qur'an and the Bible, and the relationships and parallels between them, he met personally with those who hold the real influence among the people of Iraq. The connections he made with these individuals opened the door to critical intelligence, made possible the capture of almost a dozen of the "most wanted" men in Iraq, and paved the way for Coalition soldiers to form vital and historic partnerships based on trust and respect with the people they were trying to help.
Aside from units specifically responsible for targeting high value personalities, during his time in Iraq, King was singly responsible for the highest number of blacklisted surrenders or captures.
Twice Armed details King's experiences in Iraq.
Protecting Saddam
Why sheiks protected Saddam even though they wanted him out of power.
Negotiating for Hostages
Obtaining vital information about, and brokering release of, hostages.
What Reconstruction Plan?
Developing a reconstruction plan after the invasion.
King and his unit arrived in Baghdad on the eve of the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime, April 8, 2003. King assumed immediate responsibility for developing and implementing the reconstruction efforts within Baghdad pending the arrival of the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance.
Behind the Scenes with U.S. Officials
Unpublished reports of working with L. Paul Bremer, Bernie Kerik and other leading U.S. officials.
Meetings with Terrorist Leaders & Iraqi Elite
Attend meetings with suspected terrorist cell leaders and some of the former Iraqi elites.
How Hearts and Minds are REALLY Won
King advised the Country's Deputy Administrator and other senior Coalition Provisional Authority officials on civil-military operations, as well as formulating and implementing U.S. policy in Iraq. He was credited with identifying individuals that were eventually selected as key senior leaders in the sovereign Iraqi government.
King met with over 3,500 sheikhs, hundreds of religious clerics and emerging political leaders. His tribal contacts enabled him to secure the surrender and arrest of suspected terrorist cell leaders and individuals listed on the notorious "Deck of Cards" list, including:
- Saddam Hussein's doctor, bodyguard and driver;
- Mizban Hadi, #23
- Sa'd Abdul-Majid Al-Faisal Al-Tikriti, #55
- Lieutenant General Ayad Al-Bayatee, #85, told to return in three days when he arrived early to surrender.
- Dr. Fadil Al-Janabi, #99 and the former Chairman of Iraqi Atomic Energy;
- Mizhir Numaan Whaib Al-Duri, #162 and former ambassador to the Ukraine and Russia;
- Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf "Baghdad Bob," #168 and the former Iraqi Minister of Information, who would sit in King's office and explain why he reported such unbelievable stories during the war;
- Rashid Sallouh, suspected terrorist cell leader;
- and dozens of other former Iraqi elites.
Cease-Fire talks in Fallujah and Maqtada Al-Sadr
Sit at the negotiation table for the cease-fire talks in Fallujah and learn the insurgents' concerns. Learn why, "The Iraqis have never won a war, but they have never lost a negotiation."
King was selected as one of the Coalition's six-member delegation for the cease-fire talks in Fallujah, Iraq. He was at the negotiation table, providing input and recommendations to Coalition leaders, as well as coordinating with influential Iraqi leaders throughout the country to bring the security situation to resolution.
Following the talks in Fallujah, King was dispatched to An Najaf, Iraq, as a senior member of the delegation to develop political and military responses to the radical cleric Maqtada Al-Sadr and his illegal militia in the city.
Abu Greib
Visit sheikhs being detained at the infamous Abu Greib prison.
Stopping Bank Robberies and Recovering Artifacts and Painting
Experience operations that stopped bank robberies in the aftermath of the collapse of the former regime as well as recovering two-dozen stolen artifacts from the Museum of Antiquities and almost 100 paintings from the Museum of Modern Art.
Iraqis' Support and Frustrations
Be present at clandestine rendezvous to summit with sheikhs from An Najaf and Fallujah, who risked their lives to provide information about the cities during the April 2004 uprising. Confront the psyche of the Iraqi people, and their frustration, anger and pain.