here, go to kirkuk. >> that's how you got appointed? that's the kurdish area, oil rich. >> well, it's very contested area. the kurds were trying to take it and incorporate it into their area and others didn't want that to happen. it was very sort of unstable, if you like. all the different political dynamics going on. >> how did you decide what to do? >> well, you know, there's no job description and no job plan and i quickly met with the american brigade commander and i thought this is great, the military can go home. he thought we need to do what he termed the left seat, right seat. so, he briefs me and hands over to me that he and his 3,000 paratroopers were leaving, so he thought.