For soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division, the road to Baghdad began with a midnight flight in late February 2003. For Rick Atkinson, who would spend two months covering the division for The Washington Post, the war in Iraq provided a unique opportunity to observe today's U.S. Army in combat. Central to the drama is Major General David H. Petraeus, as he teaches, goads, and leads his troops and subordinate commanders in several intense battles.