Despite constituting approximately 10 per cent of Iraq's population, the "forgotten" Turkmen are often grouped with other factions when foreign analysts and commentators refer to the ethnic makeup of Iraq. In discussions concerning post-war political representation, it is common to hear specific reference made to Shiite Arabs, Sunni Arabs, and Kurds, while the remaining factions — the Turkmen, Yazidi, Sabia, Marsh Arabs, etc. — are often collectively referred to as the "others". 

In addition to presenting a history of the Turkmen people in Iraq, the book also includes several of Scott Taylor's personal observations of a people that have suffered through decades of political oppression and ethnic violence.