Sheik Twitty al Ameriki

[Colonel Michael Bills and Colonel Stephen Twitty (cigar) on 29 November in Ninevah Province.]

"03 December 2007
American combat leaders ranging from young corporals to veteran colonels like COL Stephen Twitty are cracking the code on Iraq. Twitty commands US operations in Ninevah and his brigade has kept control here with what amounts to a skeleton crew. We’ve had only one battalion in Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, all year. In other words, less than 1% of our combat power has held one of the most challenging cities in Iraq for an entire year.

And now, as Colonel Twitty takes his soldiers home, it seems few outside this area will ever know what they’ve done. I’ll do my best in the weeks and months ahead to explain how the 2-7 Cav has been operating like a giant Special Forces A-team for most of the past year. Twitty’s forces have set conditions for success. Colonel Michael Bills is the incoming commander; and from what I have seen in recent days, Colonel Bills’ folks are ready to take the reins."
Michael Yon