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Unremitting

The Marine “Bastard” Battalion and the Savage Battle that Marked the True Start of America’s War in Iraq

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By Gregg Zoroya

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$15.99

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$20.99 CAD

Former USA Today journalist and author of The Chosen Few, Gregg Zoroya, reveals the untold story of the Battle of Ramadi, the true start of the war in Iraq that spanned more than eight years, claimed thousands of lives, and evolved into a traumatic legacy for the US military and its veterans.

Their nickname was the Magnificent Bastards, and they were warriors without a war. Kept stateside after 9/11 and left floating in the Pacific during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the thousand Marines of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment were told they were benchwarmers as America sent troops into combat. But war was waiting.

Iraq would explode in violence exactly one year after a U.S.-led Coalition swept into Baghdad, and the Magnificent Bastards would find themselves at the epicenter. When the battalion first arrived in the provincial capital of Ramadi, Iraq, in February of 2004, their assigned mission should have been little more than handing out candy, smiling, and making friends with a conquered people. Instead, they were thrust into a savage battle where hundreds of insurgents organized a three-day offensive aimed at driving the Marines out of their city of 400,000. Amidst the violence that broke out across Iraq in April of 2004, the fight in Ramadi marked the true beginning of the war.
 
In Unremitting, journalist Gregg Zoroya tells the fast-paced, dramatic, meticulously-researched, and poignant story of that battle. Capturing the heroism, courage, and brutality of battle, Zoroya explores this vital part of American military history and beyond, showing how Ramadi was not just a game-changer for the Iraq War, but also for the Marines, sailors, and soldiers who fought there—and the trauma that remains with survivors more than two decades later.

The degree of enemy coordination, violence and success in Ramadi was remarkable. Some of the worst actors within the Iraq insurgency were (there). The Marines and sailors of 2/4 were tested as few have been since the Vietnam War. … This is their story.” 
General Joe Dunford, USMC (Ret)
19th Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
36th Commandant of the Marine Corps

 

  • "Zoroya delivers the adrenaline of combat right to the reader's easy chair. His prose is direct and clear, and never upstages the action. He also brings the warriors to life, chronicling their trials and triumphs."
    USA Today
  • "For readers with preconceived notions of what it means to engage in the 'forever war,' this book is a necessary addition to the bookshelf."
    Military Review

On Sale
Jun 17, 2025
Page Count
400 pages
ISBN-13
9780306833045

Gregg Zoroya

About the Author

Gregg Zoroya worked as a journalist with USA Today from 1998-2022, moving from human interest features and general assignment reporting to war coverage and finally to a beat assignment specially created for his talents that focused on the impact of combat on troops and their families. He completed his career with the paper as a member of the editorial board and an editorial writer. Zoroya lives near Washington, DC.

Learn more about this author