(Part 2) Best afghan war biographies according to redditors

People like to claim that the movie "Hollywoodized" the story, but the book is a pretty far departure from what really happened as well; the writer testifies to his group being overrun by an army of a hundred-plus members of Al-Qaeda, all because they had mercy on a civilian they saw on a road and refused to kill him. Lutrell (or his ghost-writer) is also under the strong impression that the war in Iraq is between the Christian American God and Allah, that the war was "payback for 9/11", that twins have an unexplainable psychic link, and that his operation was called "Operation: Redwing" because that sounds badass.

The official report on Operation: Red Wings (the difference being that the actual operation was named after a hockey team, because Murica) found that his group was attacked by about twenty armed insurgents with no relation to Al-Qaeda, and for unrelated reasons to a lone farmer. Still a rough situation, to be sure, but a not a retarded one.

EDIT: Because people keep asking for the citation, here is an an analysis of the book by a veteran on a nationally recognized blog. I've also read the book itself, where most of what I cited occurs in the first couple chapters, and you should check out the more accurate published report of the event. Also turned "redwings" into the more accurate "Red Wings"

I came across this book titled "Thank you for my service" by a guy called Mat Best who was wearing an American flag. It was a ridiculous cover and I thought "wow, what a toolbox." I laughed a good laugh, confident I knew that the title and cover photo were typical justbootthings. I walked away feeling pretty damn good about myself. I even stopped to smell one of my own farts in smug self-satisfaction, but as I took it in, the thought occurred to me that if I really wanted to enjoy the smell of my own fart, I ought to at least make sure I wasn't misinterpreting it. I went back and read the inside of the jacket. As I understood it, the author was actually saying that his service was the greatest experience of his life, and that he wanted to thank citizens and generally for putting him in a position to serve in a way that was meaningful for him. I felt pretty darn foolish. That seemed like a generally laudable perspective and something the opposite of what I assumed he meant by "Thank you for my service."

In my defense, the guy's name is Mat with only one T, like doormat and so his name and the cover picture worked to confirm my existing bias.

https://www.amazon.com/Thank-You-Service-Mat-Best/dp/1524796492

Okay, so I will try to post something here that I haven't already posted (also because my sim doesn't start for another 2 hours and I'm bored).

These two posts sum it up pretty good I think (http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2jex7k/teenagers_of_reddit_what_is_the_biggest_current/clbbw4l) and here (http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/2jex7k/teenagers_of_reddit_what_is_the_biggest_current/clbbdcb).

But here's something I didn't post yet. In my humble opinion, the key to human happiness is two-fold: creativity, and human relationships.

1. Creativity. One of the hallmarks of human behavior that sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom is creativity. Every culture on Earth has some form of artistic expression, such as music, painting, cultural dances, festivals, or food presentation or what have you. Even black slaves at the height of the slave trade still found ways to express themselves creatively through keeping secret journals, risking severe punishment and even their lives. Hell, even cavemen--the earliest human beings--expressed themselves through cave paintings. So I think in order for someone to be truly happy, they should have a creative outlet. That could be something like playing guitar, water color painting, writing poetry, designing a sky scraper, writing a mobile app, designing and building a deck for your house or a deer stand for hunting--or even starting a family and making it the best possible family you can. For me, I put my creative power into my sailboat and have all these projects--varnishing, painting, sanding, cleaning, maintenance--all those kinds of things actually become a creative expression of my mind. And it makes me happy.
   
   
2. Human relationships. There is a book call The Mission, The Men, and Me (which is a great book about leadership, found here: http://amzn.com/B003XQEVWQ). One of the military lessons learned there is that "Nothing is a reality unless it's shared." The Author was referring to battlefield intel, in that if you know something about the enemy, it might as well not even be true if only you know it. You need to disseminate that intel to everyone else, otherwise if you're the only guy who knows it, it effectively becomes useless information. Well, I took that a step further and realized that it applies to human relationships as well. Nothing is a reality unless it's shared. That's why social networks are so popular: everyone wants to share their reality with other people, otherwise it doesn't feel as real. There could be a lot said about keeping things private (like mental snapshots instead of instagramming everything), but the point I'm trying to make is that we, as humans, are social creatures. And if we try to isolate ourselves from other humans, we can't share our realities with them and it begins to feel like we're not real. You ever read or watched the book/movie "Into the Wild"? It's a true story what happened, and as that kid lay dying in the Alaskan Wilderness, he wrote in his journal: "Happiness is only real when it's shared." (http://youtu.be/x2k-oo2TT-0?t=2m3s). Sharing experiences with someone else makes it warmer, partly because I think that's hardwired into our DNA.
   
   So really, I think the key to happiness revolves around creativity (something that you focus your own energy into, and you do yourself) and human relationships (something that requires human interaction and you participate in with others). And if you combine the two, it's pretty much a guaranteed life of happiness.

The Taliban Shuffle

http://www.amazon.com/The-Taliban-Shuffle-Afghanistan-Pakistan/dp/030747738X

The romance in this book is amazing.

...I was complementing the sniper's position. I appreciate the sincere effort to point him out.

I read Red Circle as well as American Sniper. Both great books.

https://www.amazon.com/Red-Circle-Americas-Deadliest-Marksmen/dp/1250055091

Pretty good answer. 25U here (Commo). Spent time in Iraq in '05 when 60% of the Army was nothing but Reserves and National Guard. Since I was a Reservist on the East Coast attached to the ol'e 99th...I was reclassified into mobile postal.

To this day, I'm thankful that I haven't lost my mind despite all the crazy shit I've seen and done. From my perspective, one of the most depressing things I saw on a constant basis...were people getting 'Dear John' type letters and coming into my office to register divorce papers. I don't care who you are, it fucking tears at your soul to see a normal person who is normally cherry and good-spirited...goto shit in about 10 seconds. Also, that book by Colby Buzzell will spell it out for you what a combat-arms MOS is like. He was there part of time I was and he tells it very descriptively and bluntly [http://www.amazon.com/My-War-Killing-Time-Iraq/dp/0425211363].

My advice to anyone in the service...do your time and then use the Montgomery GI Bill and put your ass through college. I did and at least I'm doing okay working for another Department in the government. I did 8 years in the Reserves...and after my 1 long-ass tour...I just wanted to go home. Because I was a Reservist...I was gone within a week once our unit returned Stateside. My full-time Army brothers...got to stay holed up in the barracks for at least 2 months before they could go off-post.

Second piece of advice...if you're under 25...DON'T GET MARRIED...seriously...take the time to just learn about life and responsibilities. Getting married to someone who just touched your dick a couple times...that you've known for less than a year is fucking stupid. I can't count how many times I'd have to tell such-and-such's buddy to put someone on 'suicide watch'. Unless you want to hear constant stories of people being destroyed financially...don't get married...and if you're dumb enough to get married...Prenuptial agreement.

Third piece of advice... DON'T utilize those payday loan things either...I remember seeing a shit-ton of those around Basic at Fort Benning, GA. John Oliver just did a whole segment on that on his HBO show "Last Week Tonight". Unless you think paying back a loan over 100% is a good idea...seriously just save your money and wait.

There is a book..

http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Survivor-Eyewitness-Account-Operation/dp/031632406X/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398205385&sr=1-1&keywords=lone+survivor

By Luttrell.

This. And Afghanistan has been the SEALs playground for awhile.

2 great books by Delta Os, BTW:

Kill Bin Laden: A Delta Force Commander's Account of the Hunt for the World's Most Wanted Man

The Mission, The Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander

If you want to understand the nature of the war and the strategy used to fight it from the surge (2007) onward I recommend David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War by Fred Kaplan. This book will describe all the big names and texts that helped formulate modern counterinsurgency doctrine and will give you plenty of authors and publications to further explore. To further understand counterinsurgency, I recommend The Accidental Guerilla by David Kilcullen (this link downloads the file, it does not open it a new window) that has a great chapter on Iraq since he was the senior COIN advisor for a few months into the surge. You can also read FM3-24 the original 2006 version, but its a dense read and I recommend you familiarize yourself with the doctrine through other publications before tackling the field manual itself.

Fiasco by Thomas Ricks is a decent history of the run up to the Iraq war and the first years, I would say 2002-2005 is where it is strongest although it does discuss important history prior to 9/11 in the containment of Iraq and some detail into 2006.

From the Surge onward I recommend Ricks' follow on book The Gamble, and The Surge by Peter Mansoor. These books will detail the important changes and in strategy and operational practices that characterized the Surge and the post 2006 war effort.

These are the books I have personally read that best address your questions. Books that are more tactically oriented instead of focusing on the big picture include The Forever War by Dexter Filkins, which is a morbid book that does justice to the horror of the Iraq's sectarian civil war. Thunder Run by David Zucchino is worthy of being a masterpiece in terms of how well the author constructed an incredible narrative on the tank forays into the heart of Baghdad in the early weeks of the war. My Share of the Task by Stanley McChrystal is a great read on McChrystal fomented a significant evolution in JSOC's intelligence culture and operational tempo. This book is of value specifically to what you asked because his men were the ones that were tracking Abu Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, and was the first iteration of what is now known as ISIS. McChrystal describes the structure of Al Qaeda in Iraq, and much of ISIS's organization and methods can be traced back to Zarqawi's leadership.

I don't think you will find any books that will do justice to your interest in terms of recent events however I have some advice that I feel will help you immensely. Simply type in (topic of interest) and end it with pdf into google. This cuts out brief news articles and wikipedia entries and leaves you with top notch reports published by peer reviewed journals and think tanks. This is all free, and its very well researched work.

A report I'm currently reading that I'm sure you will find interesting is Iraq in Crisis by CSIS. It's of course long for a think tank report, but it has a lot of information and great statistics and charts that help the reader better understand Iraq's trends in violence and other challenges. Here are two more interesting reports by well known think tanks that pertinent to what you are looking for.

On the evolution of Al Qaeda and other salafi jihadists by RAND

Iraqi politics, governance and human rights by the Congressional Research Service

For anyone who would like to know, the following books I've read are my favorite and I'd really recommend them to anyone: The Martian by Andy Weir, Gerald's Game by Stephen King, The Panther by Nelson DeMille, Unflinching by Jodi Mitic, American Sniper by Chris Kyle, and Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

EDIT: Oh, and Blackwater - The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army by Jeremy Scahill.

EDDIT 2: Oh, and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card which is so much better than the movie. The movie does not do this novel justice. And Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly.

Billy's Afghan adventures are chronicled in First In by Gary Schroen. First person account of the first team into Afghanistan after 9/11 (CIA prep for SF).

Also read Jawbreaker by Gary Berntsen which picks up where First In leaves off, including the taking of Kabul. Also a first person account.

Then read the prequel that ends on Sep 10: Ghost Wars. 2005 Pulitzer Prize.

These three books are truly a trilogy in every sense.

I'd also recommend Junger's book, War, which is incredible.

Supposedly Bin Laden was providing arms and training to a lot of the warlords at the time, Aidid included. I have a vague recollection of reading about it in "Jawbreaker" by Gary Berntsen. He was lead on the first CIA team in Afghanistan following 9/11. I think he worked in Africa during his career as well. I may have read it from a different source, this is all just snatches of memory.

Edit: the book I'm thinking of was "First In: An Insiders Account of How The CIA Spearheaded the War On Terror in Afghanistan" by Gary Schroen. Schroen was the leader on the ground. Also he worked in Pakistan, not Africa. It's been a few years and a lot of books since this one. My bad. Good book, recommend it for a read on a flight or train ride or such.

Here's a link to the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/First-In-Insiders-Spearheaded-Afghanistan/dp/0345496612/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=058X5E7FYGJHGVYGW6BY

-The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour

-Halsey's Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue

-Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10

-In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors

Looks like it's The Taliban Shuffle by Kim Barker.

Amazing amazon book review part 1:

The most intriguing and troubling part of Mary Tillman's book about Pat Tillman is found at the back of the book. It seems that journalists had used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain from the Pentagon, no less, a copy of the Army doctor's autopsy report on Pat. While the Army doctors state that they virtually never before questioned the official versions of events given to them, this time they did.

They said that after Pat had been shot in the legs by three or four of his own men, and fell to a crouching position, still yelling "Cease fire! Friendlies! It's Pat F...ing Tillman! Ceasefire!", he was then shot in the chest. Since he had body armor on, he was still alive. However, he then received three bullets from a 50 caliber machinegun between the eyes to the forehead.

The doctor's said the spray pattern was so close together, that the machine gunner had to be very, very close. 60 to 120 feet away, not the much greater distance that the official version stated. The doctors said the gunmen were so close, they may have known who they were shooting, or should have - so they asked for a homicide investigation - and were turned down by Army brass.

The officer that was initially charged with the investigation (which was later "lost"), walked the spot Pat was shot 24 hours later, found the smoke grenade Pat threw about 90 to 120 feet and which landed where the attacking vehicle's tracks ended, showing he was quite close. It was after this smoke grenade went off, and the attacker's quit firing a second sequence, that Pat stood - and was shot in a third sequence of firing,in three seperate places.


Although Pat had his head essentially blown off,and was put into a body bag - the Army officially claimed he was still alive and had CPR performed - twice. Of course, his mother questioned this, saying his head had been blown off. She was told, "Ma'am, we usually aren't questioned about trying to save someone's life".

Pat's younger brother, Richard, states in the book that he believed Pat had been murdered. It is important to remember that the driver of the attacking vehicle, Ranger Kellet Satyre,said he knew instantly when coming out of the canyon that his Ranger buddies were firing on U.S. Rangers, and saw Ranger vehicles, yet still continued towards Pat's position without turning his vehicle around and leaving the scene. He also failed to notify his buddies that they were firing at Rangers through three sequences of firing - one to reload. How did he escape courts-martial?

All three Rangers claimed they had "tunnel vision" and did not see the Ranger vehicles in plain sight, in daylight. One claimed he had eye laser surgery the week before and only saw shapes....why was his eye doctor not court-martialed for allowing him to be out on patrol with a dangerous weapon among his buddies?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/1594868808/R1Z95PXU6ZBFJL/ref=mw_dp_cr?cursor=1&sort=rd

Not part of the army at all but can recommend you read: Junior Officers' Reading Club - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Junior-Officers-Reading-Club/dp/1594484791 Great book about being an officer in Iraq and Afghanistan and insight into Sanhurst (If you are planning as joining as an officer).

This ebook is on sale!. That's on my ebooks wishlist. :) Five Below! Thank you for the contest.

This is a book. Dear God.

> The unapologetic, laugh-your-ass-off military memoir both vets and civilians have been waiting for, from a five-tour Army Ranger turned YouTube phenomenon and zealous advocate for veterans
>
> Members of the military’s special operations branches share a closely guarded secret: They love their jobs. They relish the opportunity to fight. They are thankful for it, even, and hopeful that maybe, possibly, they’ll also get to kill a bunch of bad guys while they’re at it. You don’t necessarily need to thank them for their service—the pleasure is all theirs.
>
> In this hilarious and personal memoir, readers ride shotgun alongside former Army Ranger and private military contractor and current social media phenomenon Mat Best, into the action and its aftermath, both abroad and at home. From surviving a skin infection in the swampy armpit of America (aka Columbus, Georgia) to kicking down doors on the outskirts of Ramadi, from blowing up a truck full of enemy combatants to witnessing the effects of a suicide bombing right in front of your face, Thank You for My Service will give readers who love America and love the good guys fresh insight into what it’s really like inside the minds of the men and women on the front lines.
>
> It’s also a sobering yet steadying glimpse at life for veterans after the fighting stops, when the enemy becomes self-doubt or despair and you begin to wonder why anyone should be thanking you for anything, least of all your service. How do you keep going when something you love turns you into somebody you hate? For veterans and their friends and families, Thank You for My Service will offer comfort, in the form of a million laughs, and counsel, as a blueprint for what to do after the war ends and the real fight begins.
>
> And for civilians, this is the insider account of military life you won’t find anywhere else, told with equal amounts of heart and balls. It’s Deadpool meets Captain America, except one went to business school and one went to therapy, and it’s anyone’s guess which is which.

> The Red Circle

Link for the lazy GGG

I did two WTI's in Yuma, never saw one do anything vertical. I'm sure they do but they seemed to operate at 45 degrees on the nozzles most of the time. [A Nightmares Prayer] (https://www.amazon.com/Nightmares-Prayer-Marine-Harrier-Afghanistan/dp/1451608071) is a pretty good look at the operations at Bagram. At that altitude it did good to leave the ground at all and used up all the runway doing so.

try outlaw platoon. awesome and very challenging read. Parnell pulls no punches.

http://www.amazon.com/Outlaw-Platoon-Renegades-Brotherhood-Afghanistan/dp/0062066404

"The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell".

I'd also recommend this book and the book by his mother.

http://www.amazon.com/Boots-Ground-Dusk-Tribute-Tillman/dp/1594868808

this one

Forgot one more, although I don't know if it fits exactly into your criteria:

http://www.amazon.com/WAR-Sebastian-Junger/dp/044655622X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318315932&sr=8-1

If you liked American Sniper (which is honestly mediocre in terms of story telling and book flow) then I suggest Outlaw Platoon. It is written by an infantry platoon commander about his units tour of duty in Afghanistan. Its action packed and well written, so you get a great story along with the combat.

http://www.amazon.com/Outlaw-Platoon-Renegades-Brotherhood-Afghanistan/dp/0062066404

Are you looking for pulse pounding, believable-but-still-inventive enough, hardcore mercenary action? Well look no further.

Direct Action - Written by a former Ranger/SF guy, this is the first in a set of (so far) 3 books featuring Deckard as the main character. Deckard is a former SF and CIA SAD guy who ends up getting contracted by a shady cabal to form a PMC for them to use in their attempt to bring about a NWO. He says "fuck that." This is honestly some of the best in the genre of military fiction. Written by a dude who has been there and done that, it's well written and believable enough, and the action...gritty, hardcore, doorkicking, operating action. It does not stop once it starts, and neither do the sequels, Target Deck and Direct Action. They're a blast to read and I can't recommend them enough.

Task Force Desperate - America's dollar has collapsed. The military is incredibly underfunded and no longer has the ability to project power. This all comes to a head when an American military base in Djibouti is attacked and taken over. With the US no longer able to respond to events such as these, Jeff's PMC, Praetorians, are contracted to handle the situation. The guy that wrote it is a former Recon Marine, so similar to Jack Murphy, he's been there, done that, and it shows. If you want hardcore action, this is another solid book for you. The plot is a bit out there, but hey, fuck it, it's fun.

Moving away from fiction...

Level Zero Heroes - Written by one of the first MARSOC dudes that went into Afghanistan when MARSOC was first stood up. He's his MSOC's forward air controller, and it's just a pretty cool and interesting look into the special operations world from a new (at the time) SOF unit.

Horse Soldiers - About the first ODA that went into Afghanistan within weeks of 9/11. They worked really closely with CIA SAD, and it's an incredibly interesting write up on what these guys managed to do in incredibly austere conditions. They rolled around the country on horseback. That's bad ass.

First In - Similar to Horse Soldiers, but written by one of the CIA paramilitary officers that coordinated with the Northern Alliance and the SF ODAs when they first came in country. A bit dry, but if you're interested in this sort of thing, it's one of the best (and only, from its perspective) accounts of the early parts of the Global War On Terror.

Now for some non military stuff.

Dune - The best sci-fi novel ever written, bar none. It has political intrigue, an oppressed people against an overwhelmingly larger force, oh, and giant sandworms. It's hard to describe just how rich the world of Dune is in a simple paragraph, so I won't even try. If you're into sci-fi and you haven't read Dune, you owe it to yourself. You're in for a treat.

The Road - The bleakest thing I've ever read. It takes place after some type of apocalyptic event in the US (which is never detailed), and is the story of a father and his young son attempting to survive in the wasteland amongst cannibals that keep their "livestock," chained in a basement, roving bands of marauders, and other horrors. It's written in an incredibly minimalist style which adds to the tone and atmosphere so much. If you want something heavy, this is your book.

I'll probably add more but here are my recommendations for now.

The Billion Dollar Spy is a fascinating story of how the CIA ran a Soviet spy while he was working at an advanced radar facility. It is estimated that the intelligence he passed to America ended up being worth nearly one billion dollars.

First In: An Insider's Account of How the CIA Spearheaded the War on Terror is about the first Americans to land in Afghanistan in the weeks after 9/11

The Code Breakers One of the most comprehensive anthologies on all forms of cryptology of the past 5,000 years.

[A Nightmare's Prayer](a nightmare's prayer: A Marine Harrier Pilot's War in Afghanistan https://www.amazon.com/dp/1451608071/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_NVRUAb4GVST48)

Gotta be Patrick Bishops's 3 PARA (amazon UK, amazon US) or The Junior Officers' Reading Club by Patrick Hennessey (amazon UK, amazon US)

3 PARA is a British journalist's account of the 2006 tour of Afghan, focussing on the operations of the 3 PARA battle group, while The JORC is a semi-biographical account of the early career of Patrick Hennessey, detailing his time in training at Sandhurst and Brecon, going on to multiple tours as a Pl Comd with the Gren Guards.

Both well worth a read.

This immediately makes me think of the last chapter of The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell

You know, it's hard to keep up with everything that's in the news, but I guess I had just swallowed the whole line about Pakistan being our ally. The truth is much more complicated than that, as I learned in a recent article in the New Yorker. I also just finished War, by Sebastian Junger. The author of War, if I understand him correctly, said at the end of the book that we are basically at war with Pakistan by proxy, with the Taliban as their stand-in.

Hey man, that’s a really unfortunate accident and I wish you all the best in your recovery. There is a book I think you should read. It’s about a Canadian sniper by the name of Jody Mitic who lost both legs in Afghanistan and the trials and successes he faced after the fact.

I had a surgery in 2008 and he was in the bed next to me. He was having one of his legs reshaped to fit the prosthesis better. We talked for a good portion of the day but what I remember the most was his supremely positive attitude. He faced a lot of trials but he is now an Ottawa City Councillor. It’s definitey worth a read.

Here is the amazon link https://www.amazon.ca/Unflinching-Making-Canadian-Jody-Mitic/dp/147679510X/ref=nodl_

The Lieutenant Don't Know: One Marine's Story of Warfare and Combat Logistics in Afghanistan by Jeffrey Clement

>In our wars since 2001, the term "front line" has lost its meaning. Our opponents have not been able to stand against conventional forces in battle, and resort to guerrilla tactics, engaging our forces with IEDs and ambushes. Into this mix of behind-the-lines attacks, combat logistics have played a larger role than ever.

>In Afghanistan particularly, the long convoy routes have been vulnerable to the same kind of surprise attacks suffered by the Soviets in past decades, the British 150 years ago, and Alexander the Great 2,000 years ago. In that godforsaken landlocked land, the means to supply a Western army has to be undertaken with blood and sweat, once the quick panacea of airpower is overtaxed.

>When he joined the Marines, Jeff Clement was not a high-speed, top-secret recon guy. A logistician instead, he led combat convoys across treacherous terrain in southern Afghanistan through frequent enemy attacks in order to resupply US and British positions. As such he and his vehicles were a constant target of the resistance, and each movement was a travail, often accompanied by thundering blasts as the insurgents paved their way with IEDs. Each movement was fraught with danger, even as each objective had to be met.

>The Lieutenant Don't Know provides a refreshing look at the nitty-gritty of what our troops have been dealing with in Afghanistan, from the perspective of a young officer who was willing to learn, and also take responsibility for his Marines in a confusing war.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/161200248X/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=81L6TNMLAXFN&coliid=I261R25I3GR0SW

Junior leadership, logistics

The Lieutenant Don't Know

Embarrassing Confessions of a Marine Lieutenant: Operation Branding Iron, 2.1A https://www.amazon.com/dp/1943979006/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_cxv3wbPPGNCH4

http://www.amazon.com/My-War-Killing-Time-Iraq/dp/0425211363/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459316107&sr=1-1&keywords=my+war+killing+time+in+iraq

My War: Killing Time In Iraq by Colby Buzzell

I don't like non fiction but this is one of my favorite books of all time. A really excellent book. I read it because my boyfriend has PTSD from being in Iraq and I wanted an inside view to what he had gone through and what he experienced without having to ask such personal questions. It really shows you what war is like through the eyes of the soldier, and it also has some really funny areas too.

15 Days by Christie Blatchford:

http://www.amazon.ca/Fifteen-Days-Stories-Friendship-Canadian/dp/product-description/0385664664

You might consider reading this book. It's actually very good, and discusses a few deployments of the PPCLI in detail. They're utter badasses.

Thanks so much for doing this. Though [this comment] (http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/yp545/im_kim_barker_a_campaign_finance_reporter_at/c5xlcnv) paints a pretty bleak picture about our efforts to halt unlimited fundraising, I'd really like to know what is realistically within the reach of private citizens. What can we redditors do to affect transparency within our districts? In another vein, why isn't free political advertising a condition of broadcasting licenses?

And I'll admit that I am much more familiar with your work through having read your book (The Taliban Shuffle, which everyone should read) and some of your correspondence pieces with the Chicago Tribune. Are there any unexpected ways that those two bodies of knowledge have overlapped?

Here are a few books that I recommend that are more academic in nature. Let me know if there is anything in particular with regard to either conflict that you would like.

Both Wars

Author | Title | Synopsis
---|---|----
Bob Woodward | Obama's Wars | Outline of the U.S. foreign policy decision making towards Iraq and Afghanistan in the early years of the Obama administration.
Daniel Bolger | Why We Lost: A General's Inside Account of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars | Bolger offers a unique assessment of these wars, from 9/11 to the final withdrawal from the region, and the shortfalls of U.S. strategy.

Iraq

Author | Title | Synopsis
---|---|----
Michael Gordon | The Endgame: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Iraq, from George W. Bush to Barack Obama | Follows U.S. strategic and political decision making process during the Iraq War and the U.S. occupation.
Peter Mansoor | Surge: My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War | An extensive outline of the development and outcome of the Surge during the U.S. Occupation of Iraq.
Emma Sky | The Unraveling: High Hopes and Missed Opportunities in Iraq | As one of the longest serving diplomatic volunteers and a former opponent of the war, Sky provides unique insights into the US military as well as the complexities, diversity, and evolution of Iraqi society.
Michael Gordon and Bernard Trainor | Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq | A definitive chronicle of America’s invasion and occupation of Iraq that traces the interactions among the generals politicians and reconstructs the principal battles from interviews with those who fought them.
Thomas Ricks | The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008 | The author offers news-breaking account, revealing behind-the-scenes disagreements between top commanders and the internal development of the Surge strategy.
Joby Warrick | Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS | An historical look at how Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's leadership of become al-Qaida in Iraq would influence the rise of ISIL.
General Stanley McChrystal | My Share of the Task: A Memoir | A memoir of the former head of the Joint Special Operations Command during the Iraqi occupation who played a central role in defeating al-Qaida in Iraq.

Afghanistan

Author | Title | Synopsis
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Thomas Barfield | Afghanistan:A Cultural and Political History | An examining of the competing cultural and tribal dynamics in Afghanistan's recent history through an anthropological perspective.
Seth Jones | In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan | Jones examines the insurgency in Afghanistan, arguing that weak governance and religious ideology, coupled with the American insistense on a "light footprint" are the primary drivers behind it.
Ahmed Rashid | Taliban:Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia | The authoritative account of the Taliban, explaining the Taliban’s rise to power, its impact on Afghanistan and the Middle East and Central Asia.
Ahmed Rashid | Descent into Chaos: The U.S. and the Disaster in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia | Rashid provides a detailed account of the regional context and interconnections of the Afghan conflict, insisting that the key to peace for the entire region lies with Pakistan.
James Dobbins | After the Taliban: Nation-Building in Afghanistan | Dobbins examines the first year of the intervention in Afghanistan and describes how inter-agency rivalry, aversion to nation building, opposition to the presence of peacekeepers, and refusal to send more troops and commit more resources undermined U.S. efforts.
Mark Mazzetti | The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth | An overview of the CIA's targeted killing program against terrorist organizations.