Points of View

This book is written entirely in the first person and from Tommy Franks' point of view. There is no attempt at objectivity. Franks is a very opinionated person, with clear likes and dislikes. Franks says his father taught him to view the world in black and white, and to a large extent, he does. There are good guys and bad guys. For example, Franks thinks terrorists need to be crushed, not understood. Franks is clear about whom he likes (Rumsfeld, Bush, the average American soldier, etc) and who he does not like (Robert Clarke, the Vietcong, and Hussein, etc). A reader may not always agree with Franks' views, but at least it is clear what those views are.

Franks pulls the reader into the highest levels of power, not only in the United States, but also in the Arab countries. Franks paints portraits of generals, presidents...