Chapter 20: Killing Zarqawi

1 In late June … “in my mind.” My Share of the Task, pp. 188–90.

2 To a degree … collapse the insurgency. Task Force Black, p. 80.

3 On February 20 … had vanished. “Closing in on Zarqawi,” by Sean D. Naylor, Army Times, May 8, 2006.… between Ramadi and Rawa … My Share of the Task, p. 226; The Endgame, p. 206; Task Force Black, p. 70.

4 … semi-autonomous … Top Secret America, p. 250.

5 Zarqawi and McChrystal … compelling target. Task Force Black, pp. 84, 133.

6 In early January … were available. My Share of the Task, pp. 194–95, 198, 203–4.

7 … February 16 … McChrystal’s official Army biography, provided by Army Public Affairs.

8 By spring … “bigger threat.” “Closing in on Zarqawi.”

9 On March 18 … “here in Iraq.” A task force officer.

10 As insurgents figured … “awesome.” TF Brown and TF Green sources. A Little Bird–only AVI mission can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2tL-T-5IgI.

11 … “Mossad” … The Endgame, p. 233.… “Killer Bees” and “The Little Black Ones.” Little Bird pilots.

12 That spring … early 2006. The Endgame, p. 205; My Share of the Task, p. 204.

13 Smack in the heart … Site Fernandez. My Share of the Task, p. 206; a TF Brown source.

14 In the early … in the raid. Task Force Black, pp. 133, 137–45; “Closing in on Zarqawi”; The Endgame, p. 206.… elements of B Squadron of the SAS … Technically this was B Squadron of 22 SAS Regiment, the SAS’s regular army unit. The Territorial Army—the British Army’s rough equivalent of the U.S. Army’s National Guard—includes two SAS regiments: 21 SAS and 23 SAS.… Objective Larchwood IV … Task Force Black refers to Larchwood IV as the name of the operation; The Endgame says it was the name of the objective.

15 Among the … getting closer. “Closing in on Zarqawi”; Task Force Black, pp. 146–48, 150–51; My Share of the Task, pp. 213–14; The Endgame, p. 206.

16 Indeed … thousand meters away. “Closing in on Zarqawi”; Task Force Black, p. 145.

17 The task force continued … opening exchanges. “Closing in on Zarqawi”; an AH-6 pilot; Defense Department press release 366-06, “DoD Identifies Army Casualty,” April 27, 2006, accessed at: http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=9493.… Sergeant First Class Richard J. Herrema … The Army promoted Herrema to sergeant first class posthumously.

18 “This has been … that objective.” “Closing in on Zarqawi.” … about five … My Share of the Task, p. 213.

19 On May 11 … “the cause.” A task force source.

20 Life got even … early in the fight. TF Brown sources; a special mission unit officer; Task Force Black, pp. 153–56.… Coale was relieved … A Delta source. In his memoir McChrystal refers to Coale only by his first name, and on p. 221 mentions that “Tom D.” arrived in Baghdad June 1 to replace “Joe,” who was less than two months into a standard 90-100-day deployment.

21 Another factor … releasing them. A task force source.

22 But McChrystal … in front of them. My Share of the Task, pp. 208–12, 214–31; Task Force Black, pp. 159–61; The Endgame, pp. 206–7.… cheer erupted … A senior JSOC staffer.… died in front of them. In his memoir on p. 231 McChrystal describes a Delta medic working on Zarqawi. Two task force sources—neither of whom was on site—told me the Delta personnel made no effort to render medical aid.

23 The next several … in one night. A JSOC staff officer; My Share of the Task, p. 232.

24 The task force also … as a refuge. The Endgame, p. 208.

25 President … congratulate him. The Endgame, p. 208; Task Force Black, p. 161.

26 … monthly civilian death tolls … See, for instance, https://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/.

27 McChrystal’s … “too late.” My Share of the Task, p. 236.

28 At Flynn’s … start point. Task Force Black, pp. 84–85.

29 In August 2004 … than 300. My Share of the Task, p. 213; The Endgame, p. 205.

30 The task force was … the fall. “Closing in on Zarqawi”; a former Delta operator; a senior Special Forces officer; The Endgame, p. 234.… Task Force Falcon … In a February 7 speech in Washington, D.C., Lieutenant General John Mulholland, who was deputy commander of JSOC from 2006 to 2007, said TF Falcon was created to get high-value individuals to move so that they could be targeted.

31 But one of … killing its pilot. “‘Neither of Us Expected to Get Out … Alive,’” by Sean D. Naylor, Army Times, July 20, 2008, accessed at: http://www.armytimes.com/article/20080720/NEWS/807200334/-8216-Neither-us-expected-get-out-alive-; The Endgame, pp. 235–36.

32 Other raids … from AQI. My Share of the Task, p. 247.