Explosive News from Southern Baghdad

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Recently Published Book: “Father of Money: Buying Peace in Baghdad”

In March 2004, Jason Whiteley was appointed the governance officer for Al Dora, one of Baghdad’s most violent districts. His job was to establish and oversee a council structure for Iraqis that would allow them to begin governing themselves. The nature of persuading Iraqis to support the coalition quickly progressed from simply granting them privileges to ignore curfews to a more complex relationship defined by illicit dealing, preferential treatment, and a vicious cycle of assassination attempts. In these streets of Al Dora, Whiteley became feared and loved as the man they called Abu Floos—or “Father of Money.”

June 10, 2011 -  – In his new book, former U.S. Army Capt. Jason Whiteley reveals the dark details of his time spent on the streets of Baghdad as a soldier rebuilding the Iraqi political system from the ground-up. He would discover that it would take more than American ideals to complete the task.

Assigned to one of Baghdad’s most violent districts, he learned that bribes and blood money -- not principles – could govern the distribution of power and possibility of survival. The Iraqi people did not have the patience to withstand daily violence while they waited for a democratic government to crystallize.

Captain Whiteley acted to fill this void by allying himself with the leaders who had the best chance of consolidating power, even if they were former insurgents. Eventually, he became known by Iraqis as the “Father of Money,” wielding significant influence, and targeted for assassination.   

“This book is neither a war memoir nor a story about Iraq,” Whiteley said in a recent interview. “Instead, the book is about the very real, very personal struggle between principle and practice one faces in war.” 

“It is an intimate story about humanity, its fragility, and, one hopes, its resilience…a soulful narrative from the most difficult time in my life," Whiteley said.

Father of Money: Buying Peace in Baghdad is available now in hardcover from most major retailers, including Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, and Amazon.com. Father of Money is published by Potomac Books Inc. Learn more about the author at http://www.fatherofmoney.com/

About the Author

Jason Whiteley was born and raised in Lumberton, Texas.  He is a distinguished graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated in 1999.  Following graduation, Jason served as an officer in the 1st Battalion, 8th U.S. Cavalry in the First Cavalry Division from 1999 to 2005.

From 2004 to 2005, he served in Baghdad as a governance officer in the Al-Dora District of Southern Baghdad. In 2005, Captain Whiteley was featured in the PBS Frontline documentary A Company of Soldiers.

He left the Army in 2005 to pursue a law degree and a Master of Science in Foreign Service at Georgetown University, both of which he received in 2009.

Whiteley has been quoted in numerous newspapers on the subject of building governance capacity in Iraq. He lives in London, where he practices law.

For more information about Father of Money: Buying Peace in Baghdad, please visit www.fatherofmoney.com or contact Jason Whiteley at jwwhiteley@gmail.com.