When Lieutenant Colonel Nate Sassaman arrived in Iraq in 2003 his belief in the task ahead, of delivering democracy and stability to the Iraqi people, was unquestioning. Sassaman was an inspirational leader to his men and many felt that he was destined one day to become a general. Six months into his tour, caught in the political and literal cross fire of the insurgency, his good intentions and belief systems were shattered. Unprepared for the hostile environment he found himself in, with little support coming from Washington and taking daily attacks from insurgents, Sassaman was pushed to the very darkest regions of his psyche.

Originally released by BBC Worldwide Learning, 2020. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on April 30, 2021.