Book recommendation on Afghanistan

TerryB · Post by **TerryB** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:15 pm

I remember a thread awhile back w/ book recommendations about the 'war' in Afghanistan. I'd like to read more if someone can recommend something good. I'm interested in detailed accounts of troop movements, conflicts, etc.

Thanks

tough old man · Post by **tough old man** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:59 pm

War by Junger
The Only Thing Worth Dying For by Blehm

Herv100 · Post by **Herv100** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:36 pm

Bobby · Post by **Bobby** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:14 pm

Worth a read.

tough old man · Post by **tough old man** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:19 pm

Marcus' book is good so is his new foundation.
Restrepo on netflicks

ultracool · Post by **ultracool** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:28 pm

Holland Oates · Post by **Holland Oates** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:07 am

To piggyback on Proto's thread.

Does anyone have any book suggestions on historical books on Afghanistan and the previous wars in that area?

Turdacious · Post by **Turdacious** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:54 am

http://www.everypoet.com/archive/poetry ... oldier.htm

Between Oxus and Jumna-- Toynbee

vern · Post by **vern** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:41 am

The Ginger Beard Man · Fri Mar 04, 2011 4:15 am

Ed Zachary wrote:To piggyback on Proto's thread.

Does anyone have any book suggestions on historical books on Afghanistan and the previous wars in that area?

Recent history (pre-9/11): Taliban by Ahmed Rashid. Or maybe its Rashid Ahmed. It's been awhile since I read it. He's a Pakistani journalist.

powerlifter54 · Post by **powerlifter54** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:57 pm

Not a good day to die. Sean Naylor.

Hard to read.

Bobby · Post by **Bobby** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:12 pm

This is a good one,unfortunately only in swedish and one of the baltic languages.
It is about a soviet paratrooper inAfghanistan 1979-80.

ultracool · Post by **ultracool** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:15 am

powerlifter54 wrote:Not a good day to die. Sean Naylor.

Hard to read.

That's one that I posted. We treat our supermen like shit.

WWII was about being ruthless and playing to win. We owe them that. It's basic.

Fat Cat · Post by **Fat Cat** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:26 am

The Afghan Wars 1839-42 and 1878-80 by Archibald Forbes (available for free online here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8428) is a fine place to understand some of the history of Afghanistan over the long haul.

johno · Post by **johno** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:34 pm

powerlifter54 wrote:Not a good day to die. Sean Naylor.

Hard to read.

I just read this. We came very close to a Black Hawk Down, or maybe a Custer's Last Stand, in Afghanistan. Only a combination of luck and leadership (by a Delta commander, Pete Blaber*), prevented a total disaster.

Unbelievable moral cowardice & dunderheadedness from the planners and mission commanders, awe-inspiring courage from the troops.
This GoatFuck is proof of a bone-deep defect in the way the Army, Navy, and Air Force select their leaders. And the way the politicians micromanage war.

*Blaber also has a worthy book, The Mission, The Men, and Me.

tough old man · Post by **tough old man** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:20 pm

Gonna have to go pick that book up.

Shafpocalypse Now · Post by **Shafpocalypse Now** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:24 pm

This GoatFuck is proof of a bone-deep defect in the way the Army, Navy, and Air Force select their leaders. And the way the politicians micromanage war.

Legislatures should have zero say in what troops do once they are off the chain.

johno · Post by **johno** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:29 pm

Sadly, I'm talking about the executive branch up to the Secretary of Defense level - Rumsfeld.

But, worse than that, there was abject moral cowardice on the part of the officer corps, including among so-called elite types.
It confirms my old career decision to leave the Army; I had been considering Officer Candidate School.

powerlifter54 · Post by **powerlifter54** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:31 pm

johno wrote:
powerlifter54 wrote:Not a good day to die. Sean Naylor.

Hard to read.
I just read this. We came very close to a Black Hawk Down, or maybe a Custer's Last Stand, in Afghanistan. Only a combination of luck and leadership (by a Delta commander, Pete Blaber*), prevented a total disaster.

Unbelievable moral cowardice & dunderheadedness from the planners and mission commanders, awe-inspiring courage from the troops.
This GoatFuck is proof of a bone-deep defect in the way the Army, Navy, and Air Force select their leaders. And the way the politicians micromanage war.

*Blaber also has a worthy book, The Mission, The Men, and Me.

Things have improved a bit from there since at the tactical level. Still, we put stars on people as much for their DC staff expertise(aka "acquisition") as their warfighting skills and leadership ability. When in command and deployed, you have to be as aware of the political position and ignorance of your superiors well as the abilities and physical position of your foes.

johno · Post by **johno** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:49 pm

powerlifter54 wrote: Things have improved a bit from there since at the tactical level.

I hope so. The book was a checklist of Tactical Don'ts.
Blaber (and his men) saved the operation. And he never got his Star. Or even Full Bird, AFAIK. To the Army's shame.

Shapecharge · Post by **Shapecharge** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:49 pm

johno wrote:
powerlifter54 wrote:Not a good day to die. Sean Naylor.

Hard to read.
I just read this. We came very close to a Black Hawk Down, or maybe a Custer's Last Stand, in Afghanistan. Only a combination of luck and leadership (by a Delta commander, Pete Blaber*), prevented a total disaster.

Unbelievable moral cowardice & dunderheadedness from the planners and mission commanders, awe-inspiring courage from the troops.
This GoatFuck is proof of a bone-deep defect in the way the Army, Navy, and Air Force select their leaders. And the way the politicians micromanage war.

*Blaber also has a worthy book, The Mission, The Men, and Me.

Johno, I chose not to read this book since I didn't think it was going to present anything more that "Kill Bin Laden" already did...if that sentence makes any sense. You've read them both right? What the difference?

johno · Post by **johno** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:54 pm

Kill Bin Laden told the Delta/Specops story of Tora Bora. But that was just a small piece of the puzzle. Not a Good Day to Die covers the bigger picture of Operation Anaconda (after Tora Bora), and doesn't sugarcoat it.
Naylor also takes a big shit on some of the SEALs, you don't want to miss that.

ALSO - Not a Good Day portrays the awesomeness of US Army Rangers.

powerlifter54 · Post by **powerlifter54** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:00 pm

johno wrote:
powerlifter54 wrote: Things have improved a bit from there since at the tactical level.
I hope so. The book was a checklist of Tactical Don'ts.
Blaber (and his men) saved the operation. And he never got his Star. Or even Full Bird, AFAIK. To the Army's shame.

When you promote for well roundedness not pointy edgedness you get AF C-130 pilots commanding ground operations...

Shapecharge · Post by **Shapecharge** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:03 pm

johno wrote:Kill Bin Laden told the Delta/Specops story of Tora Bora. But that was just a small piece of the puzzle. Not a Good Day to Die covers the bigger picture of Operation Anaconda (after Tora Bora), and doesn't sugarcoat it.
Naylor also takes a big shit on some of the SEALs, you don't want to miss that.

ALSO - Not a Good Day portrays the awesomeness of US Army Rangers.

Damn negro that's all you needed to say! That shit is gettin' bought to-fucking-day.

tough old man · Post by **tough old man** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:15 pm

hotbooksale.com has it for $5. Free shipping.

IGX

Book recommendation on Afghanistan

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