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Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:15 pm
by TerryB
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
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:59 pm
by tough old man
War by Junger
The Only Thing Worth Dying For by Blehm
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:36 pm
by Herv100
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:14 pm
by Bobby
Worth a read.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:19 pm
by tough old man
Marcus' book is good so is his new foundation.
Restrepo on netflicks
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:28 pm
by ultracool
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:07 am
by Holland Oates
To piggyback on Proto's thread.
Does anyone have any book suggestions on historical books on Afghanistan and the previous wars in that area?
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:54 am
by Turdacious
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:41 am
by vern
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 4:15 am
by The Ginger Beard Man
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.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 8:57 pm
by powerlifter54
Not a good day to die. Sean Naylor.
Hard to read.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 11:12 pm
by Bobby
This is a good one,unfortunately only in swedish and one of the baltic languages.
It is about a soviet paratrooper inAfghanistan 1979-80.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:15 am
by ultracool
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.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:26 am
by Fat Cat
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.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:34 pm
by johno
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.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:20 pm
by tough old man
Gonna have to go pick that book up.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:24 pm
by Shafpocalypse Now
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.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:29 pm
by johno
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.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:31 pm
by powerlifter54
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.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:49 pm
by johno
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.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:49 pm
by Shapecharge
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?
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:54 pm
by johno
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.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:00 pm
by powerlifter54
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...
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:03 pm
by Shapecharge
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.
Re: Book recommendation on Afghanistan
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:15 pm
by tough old man
hotbooksale.com has it for $5. Free shipping.