EXPECTATION OF VALOR: Planning the Iraq War

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Kevin Benson -- director of plans for the United States Third Army, the ground forces command headquarters for Gen. Franks' Central Command, at the start of the war -- details the development of the invasion plan and its subsequent execution from D-Day in March 2003 until the change of command of operations in Iraq and the departure of Third Army in June 2003. He addresses the persistent trope that 'the Army did no planning' for 'Phase IV,' revealing that extensive plans were proposed and were met with very little interest in Washington.

Covers the difficulties encountered in dealing with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, from getting his approval on the number of forces requested to conducting the campaign to find the 'smoking gun' of WMD; the instructions given to Army, Marine, and coalition forces; and the daily secure video teleconferences with Central Command and the Pentagon, and the rather remarkable conversations and guidance that came from these meetings.