Colonel Neil Sedak, like others in uniform, is not seen as a hero. A nonstereotypical army officer without the hard edge expected of those sworn to defend America, Sedak's life takes a different turn after the events of September 11, 2001 lead him into a downward spiral. But when his former boss asks Sedak to meet with him, suddenly everything changes again. Jerry Brynes, now working for a defense contractor, reveals a shocking clandestine plan instigated by several people in the White House: America is going to pivot its attention from Afghanistan to Iraq, start a war, and then repair, replace, or improve the infrastructure destroyed during the battle. After Brynes convinces Sedak to retire and start a competitive security fi rm that caters to the smaller companies that also want in on the deal, troops and contractors invade the Middle East where combat is just beginning within a chaotic environment fueled by depravity, greed, murder, and heroism. But as the clock ticks away and more lives are lost, everyone wonders if America can ever win a war based on an illegal premise. War and Forbearance shares a powerful tale about modern warfare, its corruptions, successes, and troubling effects on its participants as America stumbles into Iraq in a post-September 11, 2001 world.