Ballad for Baghdad

“Want to know the real story of the war in Iraq? This is it. I love this book!” (New York Times–bestselling author Lt. Col. Robert “Buzz” Patterson)   In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ali Turner was a fully committed anti-war protestor. Caught up in the wave of aggressive activism that swept through the nation’s college campuses Ali, in her own words, “passionately wanted to see America destroyed.” Decades later, she was stirred to action once again. This time as a fierce supporter of the military, living in a combat zone in an increasingly unpopular war.   From 2004 to 2007, Ali had the chance of a lifetime to atone for the past and say a belated “thank you” for her freedom by working in Morale, Welfare, and Recreation centers in Baghdad. She heard the courageous and compassionate stories of hundreds of Iraqis, Coalition soldiers, Navy SEALS, interpreters, Army Rangers, and contractors from around the world. She was in Baghdad for the return of Iraq to the Iraqis, three Iraqi elections, and Saddam’s trial and execution.   An inspiring new perspective on Operation Iraqi Freedom, Ballad for Baghdad is an “endearing and spiritual story about self-redemption” written by a woman on an unforgettable, three-year odyssey on the frontlines (Major Sean Michael Flynn, author of The Fighting 69th).