Those Who Face Death

The Untold Story of Special Forces and the Iraqi Kurdish Resistance

De: Mark Grdovic

Narrado por: Mark Grdovic

Spring, 2003.

A small group of Special Forces and CIA operatives must establish a second front to tie down the Iraqi Army in the north to support the pending US-led invasion in the south.

The mission sounds simple. The reality is anything but.

The plan is to infiltrate into Iraq ahead of the invasion, link up with the Kurdish Peshmerga, and coordinate their efforts against the Iraqi Army.

The Peshmerga, which translates to those who face death, have risen up several times in the recent past, only to be abandoned by the US and subsequently slaughtered by the Iraqi army.

Before the Special Forces have any chance of posing a viable threat to the Iraqi Army, they must first convince the Kurdish factions to put their differences aside, resolve the issue of Turkey’s wavering support, and neutralize an Islamist group that has seized Kurdish territory along the Iraq-Iran border.

The details of the invasion are classified. The clock is ticking, and time is running out.

Once in Iraq, there will be no extraction, medical evacuation, or air support until the war begins. The Green Berets will be on their own.

Those Who Face Death is the incredible true story of this little-known special operation and a testament to the courage, skill, and perseverance of the US Special Forces in the face of overwhelming odds.

©2025 Mark Grdovic (P)2025 Mark Grdovic

Unconventional Warfare Must Read!

This is a compelling story of courage, respect, friendship, perseverance and pure ingenuity. All remarkably told through facts, humor and grit! The storytelling, maps and pictures take you into the thick of it, as if you are in Northern Iraq, late winter / spring 2003, alongside 10th SFG.

It’s one thing to say you know of Unconventional Warfare, it’s quite another to say you understand. This story will help you begin to understand and truly appreciate the power of what Special Forces brings to the fight.

Most of all, I appreciate Mark’s highlighting of the Peshmerga and Kurdish people that I personally admire and respect from my short time up north while in uniform.

Well done!!

So complex

Listening to it was so much more understandable. I have the actual book and enjoyed the glossary and the photos but decided to go audio and was not disappointed