Ally to Adversary is clearly one of the best personal accounts of the Gulf War and long overdue. Unlike many recent publications, this book does not bury the readers in the war’s technical minutia; rather, they have the rare opportunity to view the decision-making processes of both the Combined and Iraqi commands as seen through the eyes of General H. Norman Schwarzkopf’s personal Arabic translator.

From the multiple perspectives of his military mission and as an author, then Major (MAJ) Francona was the right man for the right job.  His earlier tours as an intelligence officer and defense attaché allowed him to meet many important Iraqi officers, lending a sense of personality not usually found in postwar summaries.  Additionally, his writing style and strong personal feelings about the participants impart to the reader the full tragedy of the events that took place in the Persian Gulf between 1987 and 1991.  Like others wearing his nation’s uniform, he suffered the loss of friends and acquaintances associated with the events there and he leaves the reader with the same unique feeling of loss and outrage.

Upon his reassignment from Iraq, MAJ Francona served with the Defense Intelligence Agency where he was able to follow events as they unfolded. His background and experience provided rare insight into the workings of the Iraqi leadership and military regime, and with others he helped predict Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. With hostilities imminent, he became General Schwarzkopf’s personal Arabic translator.  This assignment placed him in the exceptional position of being present when and where General Schwarzkopf made most of the crucial decisions regarding the conduct of the war.  His insights, many of which have never before appeared in print, provide military historians with a level of detail not previously available.

As an Army doctrine writer and former intelligence officer, I was initially reluctant to review this publication, believing that it just another rehash on the statistical and purely technical aspects of the operation.  Those types of histories are now in plentiful supply, but because of variances in research and on-site experience, often provide contradictory information. Ally to Adversary, however, proved to be something else. While this reviewer found no reason to contradict its accuracy, what drew my attention were the many personal recollections that provided the inside story behind the events.  These paint a far different and more human picture than that provided in official and press reports. In many ways Ally to Adversary brought back personal memories of my days of training Iranian pilots, serving as a military advisor to the South Vietnamese Air Force, and a career spent as an Army intelligence officer.  This insight often allowed me to read between the lines and gain the full impact of the events that unfolded around then MAJ Francona.  Put simply, the full impact of this publication best reaches those who have “been there” or in similar situations.

As in any narration, certain points stand out. Mr. Francona’s revelation of the magnitude of loss suffered by both nations during the Iran-Iraq War was sobering. His discussion of Project Morning Star, Iraq’s employment of the North Korean Koksan gun, became personal because of my analytical work on the Koksan gun. The same can be said for Project Babylon, Iraq’s attempt to develop "super" long-firing 350- and 1000-millimeter guns.

While the press reports would have led one to believe that Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait caught the U.S. Government and military forces unprepared, this is simply not the case: Mr. Francona reveals U.S. pre-war contingency planning, specifically OPLAN 1002 and Internal Look-90. Adding a more personal touch were his narration of problems associated with the arrival of U.S. military women in Saudi Arabia, restrictions on Christian religious services, and Moslem complaints about the cerebration of Christmas.  Other accounts focused on chemical and biological warfare, the impact of the Jedi Knights” and “Black Hole” on the operation, problems caused by Jordan’s pro-Iraq stand, the press, the importance of soil samples, and closer to home, Major General Charles W. Thomas’s design of an effective battle damage assessment tool. [The “Jedi Knights” were a group of officers tasked with developing the offensive plan to liberate Kuwait.. .their plan became DESERT STORM.  The “Black Hole” is a very secure room under the Royal Saudi Air Force headquarters building.]

In summary, the author of Ally to Adversary is an experienced intelligence officer and experienced intelligence professionals or serious military historians can best appreciate the book.  I feel it is definitely required reading for anyone studying the subject and a must for any library with military holdings.

Mr. Michael Ley
Ft Huachuca, Arizona