For the writing of this book, I am in the debt of many people.
My great thanks to Dominic Byatt at Oxford University Press for taking this project on, for his care and good cheer.
While writing, close friends help keep the flame burning. Thanks to my old friend Robert Saunders, for his friendly ear, incisive advice, and encouraging word even while he was writing a history of his own. Gratitude also to David Blagden, comrade and colleague, for the laughter, thought, and conversation. Ever since we first met, Huw Bennett has been a sharp interlocutor on Iraq, and much else besides. Mark Meredith’s part was more of a cameo, but his dark humour beguiled the weary hours.
The book bears the footprints of many others: Roger Hutton; Marc Mulholland and Victoria Lill; Paul Newton; Kori Schake; Tarak Barkawi and Jennifer Luff; Emma Ashford; Chris Preble; Lawrence Freedman; John Bew; Ned Lebow; Jonathan Golub; Martin Robson; Sergio Catignani; Jason Reifler; Hew Strachan; Michael Clarke; Malcolm Chalmers; Andrea Berger; Anna and Nico von der Golz; Adrian Gregory; Nick Stargardt; Rob Dover; Nigel Biggar; Ryan Grauer; David Edelstein; Toby Dodge; Colin Gray; Christopher Layne; Barry Posen; Josh Shifrinson; Stephen Walt; John Mearsheimer; Matthew Kroenig; Andrew Monaghan; Jacques Hymans; James Ellison and Paul Domjan. For the chance to work with strategic minds and practitioners, I am also grateful to the Joint Command and Staff College and the Strategy and Security Institute at the University of Exeter.
My thanks to John Gay and the staff at the National Interest for publishing earlier pieces on which this draws; to the Oxford Strategic Studies Group and the Royal United Services Institute for inviting me to rehearse the argument; to Mick Cox, John Ikenberry, and Dan Deudney for debating the matter at the International Studies Association Conference; and to my students, who had less choice in the matter.
My family are the bedrock for everything: Brian and Muriel Porter, Emily, Pat, Gus, and Molly. For my wife Jane, gratitude is beyond telling.
Lastly, to those who suffered in this campaign, and in all tragic expeditions.
Patrick Porter
Oxford
25 April, 2018 (Anzac Day)