The commander of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Newell and his Task Force 2-2 participated in the November 2004 combined-joint operation, known as Phantom Fury (Al Fajr), to retake the Iraqi city of Fallujah. Discussing everything from the planning and task organization to the initial breach into the city through the fight's successful conclusion, he provides a wealth of insights into this important urban operation, of which 2-2 played a central, even leading, role while attached to Marine Regimental Combat Team 7. As Newell noted, "Guys talk about urban terrain being the right place for light infantry, but very few understood the power of a mechanized heavy battalion in an urban environment." Beyond his detailed assessments and analyses of the enemy and his tactics, as well as 2-2's working (and fighting) relationship with the Marines, Newell talks about such traumas as the combat death of the battalion command sergeant major and those of several other key leaders, including the Alpha Company commander and executive officer. In addition, he offers some interesting perspectives on his dealings with the news media and the advantages that resulted from having reporters, including CNN’s Jane Arraf, embedded with Task force 2-2 during Phantom Fury. Newell also speaks at length on what he calls the issue of “leadership in a plug-and-play war.”

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