The war in Iraq has, thankfully, come to a close. After nine long years, the sacrifice of nearly 4,500 US military lives, countless civilian casualties, and an international audience fatigued by prolonged turmoil in the Middle East, we can breathe a collective sigh of relief that this chapter of conflict has finally come to a conclusion.
It was a war that had a profound impact on me. I spent the better part of five years helping plan, execute, or comment in ...