[January 13, 2026] The Iraqi National Soccer Team, competing for the World Cup, defeated the North Korean team on July 6, 2007, with a 1-0 score. We were infected by the pride that had run through the Iraqi people, and we rejoiced alongside them. The Iraqi people had made significant progress over the previous four years in their efforts to reorganize their government and create jobs. Personally, I worked with many Iraqis because they provided the majority of the construction we all needed so badly. The Iraqis were good workers, and they weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, a trait that would serve them well as they aimed to build a truly first-world nation. While that aim was what we all wanted, many throughout their society still held on to their tribal ways, pulling the country in the wrong direction. Violence was natural when tribal divisions robbed any society of its desire to improve its lot. Iraq would not be the first country to regress due to sectarian conflicts, and years after we left in 2011, these ancient divisions would again tear the country apart.
July began as my last month in country. LTG Odierno pinned a Bronze Star Medal on me in his office. He knew me from this tour and from the previous tour in 2004-05. “I stand here truly honored and humbled.” That’s it. Back to work. We were part of a meeting with GEN Petraeus and learned that he had not yet decided exactly how he would conduct his battle with the Surge. LTG Odierno would have operational control, but it was Petraeus who was finalizing the military strategy we would follow. We were also warned that there were threats of kidnapping for those who traveled inside Indian country, just like I was doing weekly. The idea was, of course, to distract our forces from their offensive operations to look for anyone missing. Getting caught by terrorists was bad. We all knew that no matter what, we would fight to the death because capture meant torture and execution.
The showtime for my UH-60 flight to Anaconda/Balad was midnight. This meant no sleep. Coupled with the heat and stress, I had to push my body hard to avoid appearing weak (I did, in fact, concern myself with that). We flew out later that morning for Q-West (Qayyarah Airfield West), about 190 miles north of Baghdad. But due to extreme dust conditions, the flight was diverted to Kirkuk, where I was treated well by U.S. forces stationed there. June 8th, a Friday, was again hot and clear when we landed. Being a weatherman in Iraq meant having the most accurate forecasts on earth; during the summer, conditions were consistently hot and clear. The next day, I would fly out on a CH-47 Chinook to Summerall, Speicher, and then on to Q-West. The trip was good, but I would discover that Surge forces were ultimately not going there. Visiting with some Kurds and listening to them speak of how they were treated by Saddam Hussein and his military was very sad. They were now trying to break away from Iraq to become their own country with their own democratic government. This would not happen, at least not by the time I’m writing this article in early 2026. A few days after our visit, I got word that the Turkish military was shelling northern Iraqi/Kurdish towns, 90 times over several days.
COL Deb Lewis, the USACE GRC commander of the Baghdad US Engineer Corps, took me out on a reconnaissance mission to observe progress on the $50 million Baghdad Bypass project. The convoy was led by a British firm, Aegis Defence Services, and we traveled in some odd armored vehicles. Looking back, she took me out more as a thank-you for helping USACE during my tour, and she brought along a photographer. Today, I still have one of those photos on my office wall.
We were alerted that offensive operations were about to kick off. The Surge offensive operation had not yet begun because the units were not yet in place. However, the international media was giving it a lot of attention. On July 11, we began the long-planned Engineer Conference. I gave introductory remarks that explained the purpose and need for these conferences, where senior Engineer officers and NCOs come. My remarks are from my notes:
- Welcome to the third Engineer Conference within the last year.
- The intent of this conference is to provide both basic information that will help you get projects through the Corps (MNC-I Engineers, meaning mostly me) and to introduce you to the person (from my office) you will work with over the next four to six months.
- The information we’re briefing today includes C7, SJA, C8, and GRD sources.
- The personnel are those who will be here for you to question directly, either during their presentations or offline (C7 will be here all day).
Due to the extreme sectarianism in Iraq, violence was not going away anytime soon. On June 13, we were informed that the Golden Mosque minarets had been destroyed. This was a major development and a dangerous one. Throughout Samarra, where the major Shia mosque was located, black flags flew. I was told these were flags of mourning. The mosque was commissioned in 848 CE and completed in 851 by the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil. At the time of construction, it was the world’s largest mosque. It is known for its 52-meter-high (171 feet) minaret, encircled by a spiral ramp. The mosque is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For us, this meant at least that a major increase in violence was coming our way; travel would be more dangerous, working with different tribes would be riskier and generate more animosity, and the threat of kidnapping would increase. We would not be disappointed.
I was now only a few weeks out from the end of my tour. This would mean a major increase in paperwork, including drafting OERs & NCOERs, preparing a transition package for my replacement, visiting friends (those I had worked with), and giving briefs to several General Officers (like GEN Petraeus, LTG Odierno, MG Snyder), KBR senior staff, USACE HQ, etc. This also meant an uptick in travel, mostly via convoy. I also got a surprise visit from Fatin, who was now employed as a translator. She was in Iraq the entire time our forces were there, from 2003 through 2011 (an amazing feat). Jun 17 (Sunday) was Father’s Day, and I called my dad and spoke with him and my mom. They were surprised and happy that I actually made a call. My son Sean sent me an email wishing me a good Father’s Day (there was no way anyone from my family could call me in Iraq).
While waiting for a flight out at 2050 hours, I saw the crescent moon with a planet next to it in the sky. In my notes, I drew it as best I could and noted that there were no other stars out and that I’d never seen anything like it. In pre-modern times, people would say this was some kind of omen. On Tuesday, June 19, 2007, the official Surge offensive began. GEN Petraeus would say that the political line of operations was more important than the military line in this offensive. He was talking about religious differences when he said political, given that the Iraqi senior government was mostly Shia and led by Prime Minister Nouri Kamel al-Maliki, a Shia figurehead. The operation, previously known as the Surge, was officially called “Phantom Thunder.” The term “phantom” was a play on III Corps’ history, having deployed to the European Theater of Operations in World War II, earning the name “Phantom Corps” by striking the enemy when least expected. That same day at TF-134, LTG Russel Honoré visited, and I had the opportunity to speak with him. LTG Honoré had become famous a couple of years earlier in 2005 when he was put in charge of assisting in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as a blunt, John Wayne-like character.
Now that I was to depart in less than 10 days, I took the time to visit those folks who were the main players in helping get the Pre-Surge effort off the ground and make it successful. The list was long and included folks in TF134, the MNC-I CoS & DCoS, MNF-I R&S, IAG, 411th Engr Brigade, Garrison Command, LOGCAP, KBR, GRC, GRD, JCC-I, and various C-sections of MNC-I, especially C8 and C9. I also purchased small gifts for family members, a task made very challenging by our being in a combat zone. But there were some Turkish “shops” where I could get some trinkets. It was important for them to know that these gifts came from Iraq, not some store in the airport. Monday, June 25, would be the first day with temperatures over 100 degrees F; it reached 111 that day. This would now become normal, making everything we did much harder. Before I left, I ensured that my injuries were documented in my medical records. I had my fair share of elbow, knee, and lower back problems; mostly cartilage tears and arthritis. My replacement finally showed up on the 29th, and I tried to bring him up to speed. Poor guy, he was so jet-lagged and hit by the high temperatures, 113 degrees that day, that he couldn’t retain anything.
And, of course, things always seem to pop up when you’re the busiest. I developed a terrible headache from an infected upper tooth. One of my Warrants called the Liberty Medical Clinic and drove me there. A Special Forces doctor treated me. He had not done any dental work since medical school, but he drilled into the tooth to relieve the pressure. The infection had spread into my sinuses and drained out through the tooth when I sat up. Such fun. The doctor’s name was LTC Beiké. I was lucky to get him.
I was busy to the very end. There were a few meal gatherings instigated by friends. I had the typical out-briefings, including one from our Chaplain. The work I undertook for the Surge was either completed or in progress. Little planning was done for this part of the effort. I didn’t forget those who had worked for me, and I handed out several honors (medals, coins, certificates, flags, etc.). My last day, my Independence Day from Iraq, was Wednesday, July 4, 2007. I was in Kuwait at 2000 hours that evening. I went through US Customs and then hopped on what we called Freedom Flights. We first flew to Hungary, then to McGuire AFB, New Jersey, then to Ft Bliss, TX, for final out-processing. My final note in my notebook, Book 5 of 5, reads “out-processing is disorganized.” Go figure.
NOTE: This is my last article on my involvement in the Iraq War Pre-Surge. Another article is forthcoming that shares my thoughts on the Iraq War as it was in 2007. I’m not sure how difficult it will be to write that article, but it is necessary for me. I would have one more combat tour in Iraq, from 2010 to 2011, during which I would serve as the Chief of Staff for the USF-I C-7 Engineers. However, it was this tour, from 2006 to 2007, that presented the biggest challenge of my 40-year career.
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Please read my books:
- “55 Rules for a Good Life,” on Amazon (link here).
“Our Longest Year in Iraq,” on Amazon (link here).
General Sir, I thank you again for your service and your dedication as you help us in Iraq and elsewhere. You are the man in the arena who never quits, and never stops giving yourself for others. Today, it is the Iranians, the Lions of Persia, who fight for freedom from Islam that shackles their minds as well as their feet. Please help them if you can. And i thank you, my good sir.
Much respect for Gen. Doug Satterfield that he puts himself out there for this war.
Please note that when Gen. Satterfield says this is his “last month,” he is referring to his last month on this combat tour for the pre-Surge, not his last month period. He has another tour in 2010-2011. I hope to hear more about tha tour. We can learn more. Will there be another series?
Now this is a top article. There is a secret buried here and so I will highlight it. A question often asked about why Iraq could not be fixed, after introducing democracy, is according to Gen. Satterfield, the country is radically split along both religious grounds – Shia vs. Sunni – and, as well, along tribal lines. Plus, Islam is a “religion” (not in the traditional sense because it is also a lifestyle) and it is a conquering religion. That means it must always be expanding. That is why, when Iraq was crushed in only a few weeks into the war, that the Iraqi extremists couldn’t get over their defeat, they must always conquer and win. So Iraq, and any Islamic country with these contradictions will never achieve first world status. They will always be mired in violence and destruction, at least as long as they are not allowed to expand.
Some say that their way of expanding is no longer by traditional “conquering” of other lands/countries but by immigration and through demographics (having lots of kids). Well, that seems to be working, at least for now. Looks also like America has caught onto this trap and is restricing or kicking them out. some Eastern European countries are doing the same thing; cutting off immigration and deporting those who arrived illegally. Let them return to destroy their own country of origin. No more handouts.
Fits with what I thought might be the case. What I picked up, regarding Gen. Satterfield’s professionalism, is that he worked every day without time off and worked to the end of his tour. Then and only then did he go home.
Good catch, Fred. I noticed that too. Don’t let coming to an end of your time, anywhere, cause you to slack off or quit working or helping others. Work to the end. In the future, you will appreciate that fact and others will respect you more than if you had a “short timer” attitude.
Nice ending to a serious series. Thank you, sir. I too served in Iraq and I do appreciate your insights.
Wow, this long series is coming to an end. Sad. But I want to give a special “thank you” to Gen. Satterfield for taking the time to go back and research his notes about his time proceeding the Surge. I learned a bit that was useful, and that there was a great effort, more than I expected, getting ready for the Surge. Let is know if you ever will change your mind and put all this into a book someday, Gen. Satterfield. Well done!!!!!!
Too bad this series about the pre-Surge events that were the “preparation of the battlefield phase” of the ultimately successful SURGE. All I ever read are books and articles about the SURGE but none refer to this one, what proceeded it. What criticism I do read is that the strategy was wrong, or at least inadequate. True, we crushed the insurgency, and turned much of the government around to use the parliamentary system of government. The problem with Iraq and many of these Islamic counties is that democracy and Islam don’t mix well. Democracy can be hijacked by a tribal religion. Democracy doesn’t require Christianity, but it certainly makes it much more likely to succeed. That doesn’t mean that Iraq will fail, but it surely will struggle, and we see that now that American has left. Maybe that struggle is what they need to get their act together to become a first world nation. I don’t know. But my time studying the history of military strategy makes me think so.
Good one, Gen. Satterfield. Thank you. I am going to miss this series.
You and me both, Valkerie. I’m one of Gen. Satterfield’s longest fans who have written often, for years now, on his blog and that series about his time in the pre-Surge is one of the most powerful. Powerful because it is about what makes war successful. Our soldiers, marines, and all the troops and civilians who made this war work out, are to be commended. Did we win? Well, that is the wrong question, because we did not go into Iraq to win but to topple Saddam Hussein and to prevent his country from spreading Islamic terrorism across the West. And that was accomplished.
Thank you, Yusaf. I plan to write my last article on my thoughts about the war, and you have put your finger exactly what I want to discuss. 🫡