Jocko Willink

We did do direct action missions with our Iraqi counterparts.

We did the overwatches with Iraqi counterparts, and we did, you know, clearance operations, patrols to contact, reconnaissance missions.

We kind of got full spectrum frogman activities.

Yeah.

Wow.

Yeah.

It was the 228, who was the brigade that was on the ground when we got there, they had pretty much secured the outskirts of the city.

And so there was just starting to initiate the idea of pushing into the city.

And it seemed like, and as a matter of fact, while my guys, before my guys arrived, we were getting word that one of the courses of action was a Fallujah-type clearance of Ramadi.

And so now I'm like, oh, it's completely on, right?

It is completely on.

But,

Maliki, who was the president, just been elected, he said, I don't want to do that type of assault on Fallujah because it'll cause a separation between the Sunnis and the Shias, and this will be a civil war.

Is there another way to do it?

And so this is where, when the 11AD showed up, which is the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, ready 1st Brigade, when they showed up,

they had a plan that had been used in Northern Iraq at Tal Afar to clear the city like a small section at a time.

And that's what we ended up implementing.

Yes, yes.

You do?

I do.