When General James Mattis took command of the First Division in 2000, he took for their motto a paraphrase of Roman general Lucius Cornelius Sulla: "No better friend, no worse enemy." The first Trump presidential cabinet nominee, Mattis received nearly unanimous, bipartisan support for his nomination. He also received a rare waiver of the guidelines that exclude recently active military leaders from the position of Secretary of Defense. Proser examines Mattis' character and shows how his martial and personal values have elevated Mattis to the highest levels of personal success. -- Adapted from publisher info.

No better friend -- No worse enemy -- Liberation -- Beyond Baghdad -- A girl names Alice -- The enemy of my enemy -- Task Force Ripper -- The sleeping enemy -- Graveyard of empires -- City of mosques -- Epilogue: No better friend, no worse enemy.