Book Review: "Ronin: A Marine Scout-Sniper Platoon in Iraq"

[4v50 Gary]

Former Marine Mike Tucker embeds himself into the Marine Scout-Sniper platoon of the 2/6. Code-named Ronin, it consists of twenty highly trained, motivated and skilled operators who are deployed in Fallujah (Sept. 2005 to April 2006). Winning their confidence and the confidence of their interpreters, Tucker gets them to provide an oral history of their experience as snipers in one of the most dangerous cities in war torn Iraq. Tucker himself is almost kidnapped twice by the Fallujah Police and had they succeeded, it is likely that he would not be alive today.

Ronin is not a collection of war stories one expect from a sniping book. Rather, it is a horror story of things that go wrong everytime as the command structure first ignores them and then employs them in duties unbefitting of their training and skill. Ronin snipers pull no punches when they scornfully point out that the Fallujah Police are Al Qaeda operatives who betray their movements, snatch fallen foes to prevent the collection of intelligence (that the fallen are the Fallujah Police themselves), and protect IED planters and weapon smugglers. They point out that the since the US pays for the police, that we are defeating ourselves. Their bitterness extends beyond the Fallujah Police and they have some hard thoughts about their commanders who forbade them to shoot or capture a prized target. Tactical unreality sets in when their command expects them to do house clearing with bolt action rifles!

Do not read Ronin if you're expecting exciting stories of battlefield marksmanship. Rather, it is a story of good men betrayed by ignorant or inept leaders - something many of us have experienced ourselves. Hopefully Ronin's story is an aberation within the Marine Corps. Even if it is, the book is a wake-up call to Americans that our guys on the ground are not being listened to upstairs and that our policies in Iraq need serious review.

 

[Intrepid Dad]

This book sounds very interesting. Thanks for the review.

 

[def4pos8]

I doubt their story is an aberration. I've been privileged to listen to and speak with a few recon/scout-sniper guys. They sent the same, basic message of misuse/abuse by command. Unfortunately, command ignorance of necessary tactics cost the lives of too many of these magnificent fighters.

Thank you for the review. Sadly, I don't think I'd learn anything I didn't already know but I realize that I received some rare, privileged information due to some special circumstances. Regular folks out there need to read such as this and realize that marksmen continue to be misunderstood and abused by command idiots.

 

[AndyC]

I had thought that the USMC snipers' school had a 2-week course for officers on how to make proper use of snipers; perhaps more officers need to attend it.

 

[stubbicatt]

There is an inherent mistrust and fear of such men held by command staff. There is a "leveling" tendency which many command staff who lack "elite unit" backgrounds universally utilize to "humble" such units, and turn them into leg units, "same as anybody else."

My experiences have led me to conclude that the snuffys deserve better leadership than they get.

 

[Waitone]

History of the US military. Special capability personnel and unit are routine misused. AC-130's used in daylight raids. F-14's festooned with night vision capability are used in the bright morning sunshine so the brass can watch the show. SEAL units take down airports (that's what Rangers do) and Rangers sent on long term training missions. I'm not the least suprised that marine snipers are deployed in a manner for which they trained.