The Courage to Take Command: Leadership Lessons from a Military Trailblazer

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HOW TO SURVIVE UNREASONABLE PEOPLE

I received a thrilling call from the Pentagon in 2004: “Uncle Sam needs you.” Saddam Hussein had been captured and was finally going before a judge to answer for his crimes against humanity. My assignment was to run the media center at Camp Victory where Saddam’s trial would be held.

The evening before Saddam’s trial, my cell phone rang. It was a representative from the U.S. State Department. He informed me that I was to wear civilian clothes. I replied, “Do you understand that we are in a war zone?”

He said, “Yes. Madame Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would like you to wear civilian clothes to downplay the role of the military.”

“Oh. Hooah.”

Camp Victory had only one courthouse, and by the time I had ...