Boots on the Ground (book)
Encyclopedia
Boots on the Ground: A Month with the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq is a book written by journalist Karl Zinsmeister
, who was embedded
with the storied 82nd Airborne Division
during the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
, 1948-1960 (see entry). The term is also associated with General William Westmoreland and the United States of America's intervention in VietNam, particularly the large force increase from 1965-1968.
The term is used to convey the belief that military success can only be achieved through the direct physical presence of troops in a conflict area. As terminology, it was coined to concisely express a counter-view against the position that other means, such as aerial bombardment (as used both by Germany and the Allies in World War II, and massively by the United States in VietNam), economic incentives, or satellite intelligence could achieve victory. The term is particularly applied currently (2010) to counter-insurgency operations.
with the 2nd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne as it convoys north from Kuwait
to Iraq's Tallil Air Base en route to night-and-day battles within the major city of Samawah
and its bridges across the Euphrates
. Zinsmeister, a frontline reporter embedded with the 82nd Airborne, seeks to convey the detailed planning and technical execution that make up today's warfare
. The book brings to life local firefights and the constant air-ground interactions that are one of the key innovations of modern precision combat.
wrote Boots while working as editor of The American Enterprise. In May 2006, he was appointed the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. He is a J.B. Fuqua Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
, where his research has spanned demographic and social trends, economics
, politics
, and cultural topics. In addition to The American Enterprise, he has been published in journals ranging from The Atlantic Monthly to Reader's Digest
.
Zinsmeister has written a number of books in addition to Boots on the Ground.
Karl Zinsmeister
Karl Zinsmeister is an executive, researcher, and writer. From 2006 to 2009 he served in the White House as President George W. Bush's chief domestic policy adviser, and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.-Biography:...
, who was embedded
Embedded journalist
Embedded journalism refers to news reporters being attached to military units involved in armed conflicts. While the term could be applied to many historical interactions between journalists and military personnel, it first came to be used in the media coverage of the 2003 invasion of Iraq...
with the storied 82nd Airborne Division
U.S. 82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an active airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute landing operations. Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 82nd Airborne Division is the primary fighting arm of the XVIII Airborne Corps....
during the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Derivation of the Title
The expression "boots on the ground" has an extended military-jargon history. It certainly dates back at least to British officer Robert Grainger Ker Thompson, strategist of the British counter-insurgency efforts against the Malayan National Liberation Army during the Malayan EmergencyMalayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
, 1948-1960 (see entry). The term is also associated with General William Westmoreland and the United States of America's intervention in VietNam, particularly the large force increase from 1965-1968.
The term is used to convey the belief that military success can only be achieved through the direct physical presence of troops in a conflict area. As terminology, it was coined to concisely express a counter-view against the position that other means, such as aerial bombardment (as used both by Germany and the Allies in World War II, and massively by the United States in VietNam), economic incentives, or satellite intelligence could achieve victory. The term is particularly applied currently (2010) to counter-insurgency operations.
About the book
Boots on the Ground... is an account of the war in IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
with the 2nd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne as it convoys north from Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
to Iraq's Tallil Air Base en route to night-and-day battles within the major city of Samawah
Samawah
Samawah or As Samawah is a city in Iraq, 280 kilometres southeast of Baghdad. .The city of Samawah is the modern capital of the Al Muthanna Governorate. The city is located midway between Baghdad and Basra, at the northern edge of the governorate...
and its bridges across the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
. Zinsmeister, a frontline reporter embedded with the 82nd Airborne, seeks to convey the detailed planning and technical execution that make up today's warfare
Modern warfare
Modern warfare, although present in every historical period of military history, is generally used to refer to the concepts, methods and technologies that have come into use during and after the Second World War and the Korean War...
. The book brings to life local firefights and the constant air-ground interactions that are one of the key innovations of modern precision combat.
About the author
Karl ZinsmeisterKarl Zinsmeister
Karl Zinsmeister is an executive, researcher, and writer. From 2006 to 2009 he served in the White House as President George W. Bush's chief domestic policy adviser, and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.-Biography:...
wrote Boots while working as editor of The American Enterprise. In May 2006, he was appointed the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. He is a J.B. Fuqua Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
American Enterprise Institute
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a conservative think tank founded in 1943. Its stated mission is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism—limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and...
, where his research has spanned demographic and social trends, economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, and cultural topics. In addition to The American Enterprise, he has been published in journals ranging from The Atlantic Monthly to Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
.
Zinsmeister has written a number of books in addition to Boots on the Ground.
Book details
- ISBN 0-312-99608-X
- Formats: Hardback, mass market paperback
- Publication date: September 2003
- Publisher: St. Martin's PressSt. Martin's PressSt. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...