attack on our outpost in Karbala: General Petraeus later said in a press conference, “[T]he heads of the Qazali network and some of the key members of that network that have been in detention now for a month or more . . . When we captured these individuals . . . we discovered, for example, a 22-page memorandum on a computer that detailed the planning, preparation, approval process and conduct of the operation that resulted in five of our soldiers being killed in Karbala.” Department of Defense, “DOD News Briefing with Gen. Petraeus from the Pentagon,” April 26, 2007.
as well as postoperation assessments: Multi-National Force–Iraq (Brigadier General Kevin Bergner), “Situational Update” (briefing), July 2, 2007.
military IDs taken: Jack Fairweather, A War of Choice: The British in Iraq 2003–2009 (Jonathan Cape, 2011), 297.
life inside the camp: Then–Brigadier General Kevin Bergner described in detail the capture of the Khazalis and the contents of the twenty-two-page document in his MNF-I press briefing, July 2 cited above: “The document that we captured showed the following. It showed that the group that attacked the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Karbala had conducted extensive preparation and drills prior to the attack. Quds Force had developed detailed information regarding our soldiers’ activities, shift changes and fences, and this information was shared with the attackers.”
immediate pressure to release Qais: Indeed, according to Fairweather, Maliki called Dave Petraeus early that morning to demand the Khazalis’ release. Fairweather, A War of Choice, 297.
seized an opportunity: Petraeus later reflected, “We told Maliki now was the time to take action against the Jaish al-Mahdi to demonstrate his authority.” Fairweather, A War of Choice, 297.
sought to capture in Irbil: “Interview with Mohammed Jafari,” Frontline, PBS, August 2, 2007.
sought to convince its leadership: Details of arguments presented to Ansar leadership were provided by those closely involved.
twenty-three hundred men patrolling: Richard A. Oppel, Jr., “Mistrust as Iraqi Troops Encounter New U.S. Allies,” New York Times, July 16, 2007.
Daraji was ambushed: Edward Wong and Damien Cave, “Attack on Sadr City Mayor Hinders Antimilitia Effort,” New York Times, March 15, 2007.
leader of its operations in Iraq: Multi-National Force–Iraq, “Capture of Terrorist Emirs Gives al-Qaida in Iraq Nowhere to Turn” (press release), December 6, 2006.
cleansed many of the neighborhoods: Some of the best work on this subject was done by Dr. Michael Izady of Columbia University as part of The Gulf/2000 Project. His maps of increasingly homogenous neighborhoods are available on the project’s website.
giving Graeme greater latitude: Interview with Graeme Lamb.
Whitehall had ordered: Fairweather, A War of Choice, 316.
to the airport in September: Ibid., 318.
wounded each of these months: Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, “Fatalities by Year and Month,” iCasualties website, 2012; Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, “U.S. Wounded Totals,” iCasualties website, 2012.
blood on their hands: This exchange is based on my recollection, as well as interviews with participants. A form of this episode is also told in Fairweather, A War of Choice, 292. Note: While this book implies this discussion took place at Maude House, I remember it at the Friday meeting.
never to sugarcoat or obscure: Interviews with members of FSEC.