A Soldier's Dream: Captain Travis Patriquin and the Awakening of Iraq

The incredible true story of a fallen American hero who was instrumental in turning the tide of violence in the Iraq War. Travis Patriquin, a young Special Forces officer, had already won a Bronze Star in Afghanistan before being transferred to Iraq. An Arabic linguist, Patriquin set out to establish a crucial network with tribal leaders built on mutual trust and respect. In 2006, Patriquin unleashed a diplomatic and cultural charm offensive upon the Sunni Arab sheiks of Anbar province, the heart of darkness of the Iraqi insurgency. He galvanized American support for the Sunni Awakening, the tribal revolt against Al Qaeda that spread through Anbar and eventually across the country-a turning point which led to dramatically lower levels of violence starting in mid-2007.