Book Review: ‘Princes of War: A Novel of America in Iraq’

U.S. Army soldiers posing next to an uparmored Humvee in Iraq. Warriors Publishing Group

When interviewing retired Army colonel Claude Schmid for a story about the nonprofit he founded, Veterans Last Patrol, I learned that he had written a novel, “Princes of War.” His organization focuses on partnering veterans with veterans in hospice care.  The story ran in The Epoch Times.

I was curious about his book, a fictionalized story, but set against a background he had experienced firsthand: America’s involvement in Iraq. Schmid retired from the Army in 2013 after 31 years of military service in combat units around the world. During his two tours of duty in Iraq, he commanded a combined U.S.-Iraqi Infrastructure Security Force.

Physical and Emotional Pain

Prior to his retirement, Schmid served as the Chief of the Army’s Wounded Warrior Flight Program. Welcoming back thousands of wounded warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan, he witnessed firsthand their physical and emotional pain. Spending a lot of time with these soldiers and leading up to the start of Veteran’s Last Patrol, Schmid reflected on their individual stories and journeys.

Over the many conversations he had, certain themes emerged. Those shared experiences reaffirmed for Schmid the unbreakable and enduring strength of the American soldier.

He reflected on the motivations for serving when the consequences could be so dire.

He shared with me what he refers to as the H-E-A-R-T factor based on the answers he was given. Over and over again, resonating themes echoed from shared sentiments about what it meant to decide to volunteer to serve your country and how you felt now that you were home but perhaps forever changed.

Honor. Excitement. Adventure. Rapport. Tradition.

His decision to pen his thoughts in a novel threading these themes together resulted in “Princes of War.”

The invasion of Iraq was a U.S. led coalition that spanned eight years from 2003–2011. The Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein was overthrown. The United States was re-involved in 2014. The insurgency and many dimensions of the armed conflict continue today.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, data from July 2021, report 4,431 Americans killed with 31,994 wounded during the Iraq war.

Separate Stories, Common Goal

Numbers can be staggering but break those numbers down into the lives of specific soldiers and then those numbers become individuals, all from different backgrounds and socio-economic groups, individuals brought together for a common goal and each facing their challenges in unique and personal ways. Their separate stories resonate.

Schmid’s main protagonists are two young Army officers stationed at FOB Fort Apache. First Lieutenants Nathan Perry and Christian Wynn are friends. They also have very different roles. Perry sifts through data as an intelligence officer surrounded by computers and large screen maps. Wynn is in charge of a platoon, known as the Wolfhounds, officially 2nd Platoon, Delta Company. His home, outside of the base, is a Humvee.

Their maneuvers are a daily dance with danger and Schmid’s keen descriptions will have readers on edge and tense. As one soldier describes the environment, it’s like “playing three-dimensional chess in the dark.”

Wynn’s platoon, like all of the platoons, was manning the front lines of America’s foreign policy.

But Wynn questions early on whether fighting for political ideas is the real motivator. What he sees in his men is something much more: He sees their doubts and fears, he also sees their courage and fortitude, and their commitment to one another. He sees their undying patriotism, love of country, and sense of self-respect for putting themselves on the line in an effort that they may not totally understand.

Real War

This is a high action narrative that draws the reader into the heat of the Humvee or the blackness of an empty warehouse, the threat of a hidden improvised explosive device (IED) or the blast from an RPG (rocket propelled grenade). You are not only drawn into the action but also seduced by the personalities of Wynn’s platoon. You will not want to see any of them harmed.

Their tasks are daunting. They are reliant on the reliability of their trucks, their weapons, and their equipment but, more importantly, their mental acuity, and their spirit of stamina.

Often reacting on autopilot, they enter shadowy doorways, walk amidst the crowded marketplaces, meet with Iraqi nationals, and make split second decisions that could have costly consequences.

Colonel Claude Schmid retired from the U.S. Army in 2013 after 31 years of military service in combat units around the world. During his two tours of duty in Iraq, he commanded a combined US-Iraqi infrastructure security force that secured, defended, and assisted in the rebuilding of Iraq's northern energy infrastructure. He returned to Iraq as commandant of the new Iraqi military school system. Warriors Publishing Group

The crowd of young boys. Are they just curious? The man with his hand behind his back. Holding a cigarette or something more sinister? The abandoned car. Is the trunk too low to the ground? Might there be explosives inside?

Thankfully, they get back to the base.

But, then the next morning, the four Humvees under Wynn’s leadership are on the dusty roads again. Intertwined with routine census gathering and attempts to garner the trust of Iraqi nationals, there are major threats that surface.

Insurgency strongholds in their battlespace have been identified as well as a foreign sniper. Terrorism is a global affair.

War is not pretty and descriptions are not spared on man’s ingenuity when it comes to inflicting pain on the perceived enemy. For the Americans, witnessing atrocities committed by insurgent groups violates every sense of decency even under the guise of war.

Ground Combat Not Pretty

Ground combat is not for the faint of heart as panic reverberates through one’s entire being. Nothing is as it seems when negotiating with a local sheik to help sleuth out the insurgents. And then there’s the hunt for the mysterious sniper.

While it seems much longer, the action takes place in a span of seven days.  During that timeframe, the reader will come to know and appreciate the characters of Wynn and Petty, their respective roles, and how their parts play in the grander scheme of armed conflict.

You’ll cheer on Kale who doubts his worthiness. You’ll admire Cooke, Wynn’s sergeant, with years of experience and tenacity. Moose seems to thrive on the adrenaline rush of combat. Cengo has Kurdish origins; his skills as the interpreter are invaluable. Cuebas hails from Puerto Rico.

The writing is crisp, compelling and often driven by tense radio dialogue as the team coordinates positions.

The searing heat is ever present along with an often-blinding sun.

There are also moments of quiet reflection when an evening sky will blanket frayed nerves or a shared smile will speak volumes.

Leadership can be lonely. Rising early on one morning, Wynn contemplates the mission ahead.

“Inevitably, a worthy man journeyed alone every day on a rocky trail of questions, resolutely, honorably, knowing that what he could control or change was minor, satisfied to take the good journey and stay the course. Sometimes just being there was the main thing.”

Cover of "Princes of War: A Novel of America in Iraq." Warriors Publishing Group

Do the Wolfhounds ferret out the insurgents? Is the sniper stopped? How will this compelling plot play out?

“Princes of War” is a terrifying and tearful tale. It’s also triumphal. It is a testament to the strength of the human heart. Soldiers who have been to Iraq or Afghanistan will appreciate its authenticity. For the rest of us, it’s a poignant perspective on counter-insurgency and the effects on the men and women who find themselves in its grip.

It’s a riveting read.

‘The Princes of War: A Novel of America in Iraq’ By Claude Schmid Warriors Publishing Group, May 18, 2016 Hardcover: 340 pages