Book Description
A sometimes harrowing, often humorous, and occasionally tragic look at the Marine Corps from the inside out in its struggle with the insurgency in Iraq. Drawing from personal experience in the confusing, deadly conflict currently being fought in the streets and back alleys of Iraqi towns and villages, Danelo focuses on the young Marine leaders--corporals and sergeants--whose job it is to take even younger Marines into battle, close with and destroy an elusive enemy, and bring their boys back home again. Sadly, there are losses, but true to the Marine Corps spirit, they soldier on, earning their blood stripes the only way they know how--the hard way.
Customer Reviews:
Real People, Real War.......2007-10-13
BLOOD STRIPES, as you learn in the book, are the red stripes that an NCO in the Marine Corps is permitted to wear on the outside of their blue pants. You also learn how they came about - and I'm not going to give it away. What I will say is that this book teaches you things about the Marine Corps and the men who are the backbone of the Corps - the Grunts - that you could only learn by going through boot camp. You feel like you are living the war with them and you come to care deeply for and about them. These are REAL People, with all their bravado, fears, warts and deep humanity. You come to understand the "brotherhood" of the Corps. Most of all you understand the disconnect between those who politically support or oppose wars and those who fight them.
The best book I have read in a long, long time. Buy it - READ it!
Bobby Michaels
blood stripes.......2007-06-02
the best book on the realities of marines fighting in Iraq. A gripping account of NCO'S living and managing a war in a hostile environment
A Moving, Gritty, Inspiring Book.......2007-03-25
Read this book, and you will have a better understanding of why the warriors who make up the United States Marine Corps are the elite fighting force they are. After reading this, I came to realize that I could never fully understand what it takes to become the "true" warrior, but it also made me thank God that we have them, and that they are there ready at all times to fight for us. This book is hard to read, in that the true lives of Marines in battle, under fire in less than optimum conditions, with brothers wounded or dying with alarming frequency, are all right there for the reader to deal with. It can sometimes be informative, even funny, but mostly heart-wrenching as the battles, which are being fought for us, hit home. Read this book, but be prepared to deal with emotions you maybe didn't realize existed within yourself.
A fascinating read.......2007-03-02
This gripping book brings the reader straight onto the ground in Iraq. A timely and important story, and a great read
A worthwhile read........2006-09-25
I picked this book up because Steven Pressfield's name was on it (he wrote the foreword). It's no Pressfield novel and I can't say that it's a particularly well written book, but Danelo does offer an important perspective - that of combat marines during the first battle of Fallujah. He relates the lifestyle and experiences of marines on the ground in Iraq and touches briefly on the effect of media and politics on the early stages of the war. I had hoped that more stress would have been placed upon the latter, but Danelo's book is primarily a relation of various marine's accounts of life and battle in Iraq. Throughout, he paints an admirable and fairly candid picture of marine combat forces. All in all, it's a decent book, though a little heavy on comparisons to scenes from movies.
Amazon.com
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have given the U.S. Army's Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets, a central role in American military action like never before. Several hundred U.S. Special Forces operators helped a motley band of Afghan rebels orchestrate a stunning rout when they overthrew the Taliban after 9/11. In Iraq, as journalist Linda Robinson explains in Masters of Chaos: The Secret History of the Special Forces, Special Forces units were the main U.S. elements on the ground in the northern and western regions of the country, where they defeated government forces that outnumbered them many times over. Robinson tells the story of the Special Forces through the eyes of a few of its more colorful personalities, men with call signs like Rawhide and Killer. She follows them around the world from Panama and El Salvador to Somalia, Kosovo, and, finally, Afghanistan and Iraq. Surprisingly, however, she devotes only a few pages to the Green Beret-led victory in Afghanistan, even though it was arguably their greatest achievement since they were created after World War II.
Critics and supporters of the recent American interventions alike should find the technical proficiency of the Special Forces interesting and impressive. Each 12-soldier team may marshal more than a century of combined experience in weapons, foreign languages, intelligence, communications, air control, and trauma medicine. For a book about such an action-packed subject, though, Robinson's effort is somewhat dry, and she devotes more time to mundane background biographies than to the dramatic battle scenes in which the Special Forces invariably find themselves. In addition, Robinson's "secret history" is an authorized and sympathetic one, and readers may be left wondering what she may have left out of her accounts in order to maintain her access. --Alex Roslin
Book Description
A journalist with unique access tells the gripping, never-before-told, inside story of America's elite troops in action -- from the nadir of their reputation after Vietnam to their preeminence today on the frontlines against terrorism around the world.
Special Forces soldiers are daring, seasoned troops from America's heartland, selected in a tough competition and trained in an extraordinary range of skills. They know foreign languages and cultures and unconventional warfare better than any U.S. fighters, and while they prefer to stay out of the limelight, veteran war correspondent Linda Robinson gained access to their closed world. She traveled with them on the frontlines, interviewed them at length on their home bases, and studied their doctrine, methods and history. In Masters of Chaos she tells their story through a select group of senior sergeants and field-grade officers, a band of unforgettable characters like Rawhide, Killer, Michael T, and Alan -- led by the unflappable Lt. Col. Chris Conner and Col. Charlie Cleveland, a brilliant but self-effacing West Pointer who led the largest unconventional war campaign since Vietnam in northern Iraq.
Robinson follows the Special Forces from their first post-Vietnam combat in Panama, El Salvador, Desert Storm, Somalia, and the Balkans to their recent trials and triumphs in Afghanistan and Iraq. She witnessed their secret sleuthing and unsung successes in southern Iraq, and recounts here for the first time the dramatic firefights of the western desert. Her blow-by-blow story of the attack on Ansar al-Islam's international terrorist training camp has never been told before. The most comprehensive account ever of the modern-day Special Forces in action, Masters of Chaos is filled with riveting, intimate detail in the words of a close-knit band of soldiers who have done it all. AUTHOR BIO: Linda Robinson is a senior writer for U.S. News & World Report. She was a Nieman fellow at Harvard University in 2000-2001 and in 1999 she received the Maria Moors Cabot prize form Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. She has covered numerous wars, guerrilla conflicts and special forces operations, and currently lives in Washington, D.C.
Customer Reviews:
Tons of interesting stuff, but..........2007-05-18
I guess I'm a fan of this book, but I can't make myself call it anything better than "good." There are some truly great parts, but I struggled through quite a bit. Maybe my expectations were too high, but this book didn't thrill me like I was expecting. I wanted a gripping, real-life story of the modern Special Forces in action. I only got that in doses. I hate to use this word, but I even found it "boring" at times.
well worthy.......2007-03-17
A very easy to read tense and exciting account of a snapshot in the life of these fairly extraordinary human beings. Written a bit in the style of b/hawk down it gives a glimpse of the other sides of the soldiers involved. A must for any admirer of good special forces lit.The book also provides a sneak preview into iraq and afghanistan All in all a great read
One of the Best books on the Special Forces.......2007-01-10
This is an excellent read on a very reclusive and elite group in the US Army. It details many great feats by many great men over the last 20 years. Linda Robinson does a great job at righting this book and keeping it interesting and flowing along and covers most everything in great detail without making the story drag.
Why Special Forces are special.......2006-12-30
This is a good collection of military stories covering the past fifteen years based on interviews with soldiers, official government documents and archival material. Some details are left out so as to protect security and identities of countries involvements in operations but overall it is a fun read for the military enthusiast.The activites of the Special Forces(aka Green Berets) is well chronicled but to a much lesser extent the exploits of the much more secret(to use a word from the title)Delta Force and Seal operations are discussed even though many operations are in conjunction with these other elite forces. Linda Robinson takes you globetrotting to witness "behind the scenes" how America's Special Forces is fighting terrorism throughout the world. Operations discussed through recollections and documents include Panama, El Salvador, Desert Storm, Somalia, The Balkans, Afghanistan and of course Iraq. Recommended for an overview of the Special Forces various counterterrorism missions.
Excellent Book.......2006-11-10
This book is very exciting, because it tells us of the Special Forces missions that have happened most recently, and not just the ones we've heard about so much over and over again in the past. There are not very many in depth stories about the SF operations that have been conducted in Iraq/Afghanistan so it is nise to read about some of the action that we never heard about on the news. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about the SF and about the 'behind the scenes' war that went on and is still going on today.
Book Description
Long before the beginning of the Second Gulf War, the Special Forces and other clandestine teams of the Coalition's various services were already operating in Iraq.
This spectacular new book shows these highly specialized teams in action, fulfilling their missions well ahead of the arrival of the conventional forces. Even today the Special Forces, mainly US and British, are waging a merciless war against terrorists of all kinds who proliferate in Saddam's former empire.
The book is profusely illustrated with hundreds of shots taken at the heart of the action on the ground in Iraq, showing all the clothing and equipment used by the Special Forces.
Eric Micheletti's previous book from the "Raids Magazine" group at Histoire and Collections, Special Forces - War against Terrorism in Afghanistan, was a huge success here when it was published last year.
Customer Reviews:
spec ops fashion show.......2006-07-27
this is the second of eric micheletti's book on special forces in the middle east conflicts,the first dealing with afghanistan.if you liked that book,you'll like this one.if you did'nt,well..sorry..you probably wont care for this one.this book is a photo collection of special forces in iraq,along with a few"runway models"displaying the latest in spec ops fashion.if you are interested in military uniforms and gear(you are called a "geardo"...sounds like weirdo)this is one for your library.some of the pictures are from digital cameras and are a bit fuzzy(or is that "pixilated"?),but you will see plenty of pics of special forces,SEALs,marine recon and AFSOC.even CIA,SAS,grom and others.i do think the chapter on the operators of the other nations involved(coalition forces)is too short.and you wont see much of the new"digital"camo patterns that are all the rage in military fashion.also note...this book is not a "rah rah"account of the war in iraq.the author is a long time combat journalist.he has been around the uglier parts of the world and"seen the elephant"more than even the most jaded CNN reporter.he takes no cheap shots at the soldiers,but nor does he sugar coat the conflict.that he is french may upset some.nonsense.if you know anything about eric's work,you know he has a deep admiration of the troops,of many nations.long story short..if you have an interest in military gear as a collector,collect action figures,or just want to see some pictures to go with those"i was there"books(think jawbreaker or roughnecks or such)this book is a good start.also,the book ends with pictures of some of the operators who gave their lives in iraq.did you know 2 of the"green berets"lost where women?they belonged to the civil affairs units,which are part of special forces.they are airborn trained and wear the green beret,even though they arent what we think of when we think of special ops.remember them....all of them.
pretty good.......2006-07-19
Once again I'm pretty impressed with this line of books(the first one being Special Forces War in afghanistan). People complained about the first book being inaccurate and other stuff that really didn't matter. The truth is that this book has "examples"of what special forces has over there as well as real pictures of soldiers in action. It's a very visual book with tons of cool stuff that people like me ,like to see. The facts I haven't really gone over to know how accurate it might be, but take into consideration that this is a book done by somebody making books, not some guy actually in the Special Forces. Half of the stuff that probably goes on ,the public will never really know. So take evrything with a grain of salt ,and you'll be all right. I love these books. Although the first one was a little better, but who cares, at least they brought another one out. Enjoy
Book Description
Operation Iraqi Freedom officially began on March 20, 2003 and has become one of the most controversial conflicts of modern warfare. Thousands of US Marines were deployed into Iraq in order to topple the dictatorship government and liberate the Iraqi people. This book examines the experience of those "ordinary" Marines who fought on the frontline of one of the major battles in the operation, the battle for An Nasiriyah. This title details the Marines' enlistment, levels of training and life in the Iraqi desert, as well as exploring their important role in the complex stabilization operations after their hard-won victories on the battlefield. US Marine in Iraq: Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003 offers a fascinating insight into the modern Marine Corps.
Book Description
By Charles H. Briscoe, et al. Tells the story of Iraqi Freedom, the second Army Special Operations (ASO) campaign in America's Global War on Terrorism. Shows how the ASO supported a US-led conventional air and ground offensive to collapse the regime of Saddam Hussein and capture Baghdad.
Book Description
This book argues that, to be most helpful to veterans, we must deal with this issue of complexity and not simply focus on a hypothecated or hoped for singular cause of Gulf War illness. Research in neuroscience has demonstrated that the boundary betwee
Book Description
'Bravo Two Zero' was the code-name of the famous SAS operation: a classic story of bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. BRAVO TWO ZERO by patrol commander 'Andy McNab' became an international bestseller, as did the book by 'Chris Ryan' (THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY). Both men became millionaires. Three members of the patrol were killed. One, veteran sergeant Vince Phillips, was blamed in both books for a succession of mistakes. As Michael Asher reveals, the stories in BRAVO TWO ZERO and THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY grew considerably in the telling. Their heroic tales of taking out tanks with their rocket launchers, mowing down hundreds of Iraqi soldiers, the silent stabbing of the occasional sentry, were never mentioned at their post-war debriefings... In an investigation literally in the footsteps of the patrol, Michael Asher tells the true story.
Customer Reviews:
A welcome supplement to the B2-0 story.......2007-07-13
For a long time the books of Ryan and McNab were the only accounts of B2-0. Both books are great, but it is noteworthy that their accounts differ on some subjects; for example on the purpose of their mission(!), on how they got discovered and on the taxi hijack.
In this book Asher tries to find out the truth about B2-0. It is exciting, but also astonishing, to read what really happened. Especially McNabs book appears to be full of exaggerations and pure lies.
The author also tries to rehabilitate patrol member Vince who was accused of cowardice and appointed as the one responsible for the failure of the mission (mainly by Ryan).
In reaction Asher is blaming - especially - McNab for everything that went wrong during the mission. Unfortunately the author is doing this almost without any nuance in an irrational way. This makes his book less reliable.
But overall his book is absolutely worth reading. Ryan and McNab come up with different stories and at least one of them is not telling the true. This books confirms that the true story is different. Read it and pass judgement on what to believe and what not.
Highly Believable.......2007-06-13
The level of investigative effort Asher puts into this book is extreme. And yes, he seems the perfect character to uncover the truth too, being experienced in both the SAS and in Arabic culture, first hand. The book impresses the reader with an honesty missing from McNab's and Ryan's books, without condemning them for wanting to make a truckload of money from their stories.
A man with a grudge and a pen.......2007-03-27
It would be fair to say that the members of the patrol, those who lived, didn't agree on the events. But they didn't attack the other members of the patrol either, there were disagreements but nothing to get particularly upset about. Having read all three of the accounts written by members of the patrol I was never under the impression that they were destroying the characters of the dead, it takes a book like this to do that.
I'm sorry that Mr Asher is upset about how his friends died. But I don't think this does anything positive for their memory.
Shocking Eye Opener of the British SAS.......2006-03-08
A very interesting book that reveals shocking facts about the Bravo two Zero mission of the SAS. The author has carefully researched his finding and they make logical sense. It also puts to shame Andy Mc Nab and Chris Ryan (members of the mission) who wrote books about their self acclaimed bravery during the mission. I dont think that the author has gone through the trouble and the research to down play the SAS or the shameful recruits (Andy & Chris) but has done a commendable job in redeeming respect for late Sgt Vince Phillips (another member of the mission) who's name was disgraced by Andy & Chris in their books.
Convincing investigative work.......2006-03-07
I always thought that the B20 story was a little bit fictitious and Michael Asher puts forward a convincing logic to his story. If you read his findings you'll start to see holes appear in McNab's and Ryan's versions. By Asher's accounts, these men have already disgraced the regiment by bad-mouthing a fallen comrade and lied about/embellished the rest.
Asher goes back to the LUP, where the whole cock-up begins, and then traces the supposed journey all the way through to its conclusion by talking to local people who were present at the time. Unless the whole of the Iraqi people were there to spin a yarn, it's hard to deny that the truth is not what is in the other books. There is no disgrace in the truth.
Book Description
Gripping, on-the-ground reportage of Special Operations soldiers struggling to rebuild a shattered neighborhood in Baghdad
The U.S. Army Civil Affairs Corps has a unique role within the modern military: these elite, highly trained soldiers are sent to combat zones after the primary fighting has ended to help rebuild war-ravaged regions. Working among the local population in seven- member teams, unprotected by other US forces, they work to restore power grids and sewer lines, get hospitals and schools up and running, and bring order to devastated lands while winning the hearts and minds of a conquered people. Today, these unheralded Civil Affairs soldiers are being tested as never before in the streets and villages of Iraq—where the future of the nation could be decided by whether or not they succeed.
In Waging Peace, veteran war correspondent Rob Schultheis takes you into West Baghdad with Civil Affairs Team A-13 as they face death threats, ambushes, and roadside bombs while struggling to revitalize a neighborhood scarred by battle and three decades of corruption and neglect under Saddam HusseinÂ's tyrannical rule. Along the way he brings to life the unforgettable men and women of CAT-A13: a former Peace Corps volunteer whose taste for the exotic local cuisine leads to surprising alliances with the local shopkeepers; a southern California surfer girl turned language specialist who helps launch an Islamic womenÂ's center; and a crusty ex-Marine Corps sniper whose irascible exterior masks a devotion to the suffering children of Baghdad. And leading the team is ex-Green Beret Major Mark Clark, who is equally deft at outwitting insurgents and battling bureaucrats to help the local Iraqis rebuild their lives and ensure his soldiers made it home safely when the mission is complete.
A rare and poignant portrait of what is really happening in Iraq based on an unprecedented six months of intense reporting, Waging Peace finds the street- level reality of todayÂ's Baghdad that is too often hidden beneath the headlines and sound bites.
Customer Reviews:
Hey! Has anyone payed attention to the news about Iraq lately?.......2007-01-18
This book came out before people generally understood the nation building aspect of the U.S. mission in Iraq so I think it's gotten missed. I think people should see this in the newstands and book stores again like it was a new release because where people weren't ready for this information in 2005, I think they are now in 2007 as the Bush admin talks more now about nation building and moves away from talk about conquest.
Excellent book, excellent illustration of the issues we are FINALLY seeing in the main stream news about Iraq.
The story about the other 75% of the effort .......2005-10-07
Our invasion of Iraq was part of an effort to bring stability and democracy to the region, to build an area where terrorists could not train or get support, where people solved their problems through talking it out. This is going to require good governments and strong economies -- and to have those Iraq will need an infrastructure.
Waging Peace relates the story of a small team of Army soldiers who carry a big burden in their operating area: restore water, sewer, schools, electricity and trash pick-up. Plus, build better relations with the government, the mosques, and the police. Oh, yeah, and the gun slingers are not going to give you much security, if any.
Especially right after the invasion, most of our effort in rebuilding Iraq came from Army Civil Affairs -- before the State Department and International Agencies really got started on the big projects. These Civil Affairs teams were critical to the impression that the Iraqis had of us.
Rob Schultheis does a great job of telling the story of one small team. Thing is, he could write two or three more books on the same subject and they would be different -- because each team and each neighborhood is so different. This team was a great one and their story is interesting. Major Clark and Sergeant Paul are true heroes to Iraqis and Americans.
GREAT BOOK!!.......2005-09-04
Okay, so i am in the book, but I can still remain objective. Most military books I have read deal with specific combat operations or tactics as that seems to be what people expect when they think of the military. Like going to go and blow up a bridge or something.
There are a lot of people in the military and most of those that serve have jobs other than combat operations. It is interesting to read about a military job that specifically does not use combat operations in a hostile military environment to acheive military goals. Like going to go and repair a bridge or something.
Need more information on Civil Affairs units.......2005-09-01
This is a great book. It tells the story from a Civil Affairs Team perspective, which many civilians don't even know exist and how they interact amongst themselves and the manuever Battalions they support. Unfortunately Rob was only able to concentrate on one of the Battalion's teams. There were, at times, over 10+ teams spread throughout Iraq doing similar missions which he did not have a chance to visit (one person can only do so much). I have to admit I am biased since I was part of the 425th Civil Affairs Battalion in Iraq and got to see "Writer Rob" quite a bit in theater. He is an incredibly interesting person and I was fortunate to get to know him. Look for more Civil Affairs stories from him because I think he is headed back over to Iraq or Afghanistan in the near future.
UPDATE: SSG PAUL WAS KIA IN KABUL ON 8 SEP 06. HE WAS PART OF OF THE 425TH CA IN IRAQ AND VOLUNTEERED FOR A SECOND TOUR WITH ANOTHER UNIT IN AFGHANISTAN. GOD BLESS SSG PAUL.
The Department of Defense announced the death of two soldiers, who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died in Kabul, Afghanistan, on September 8, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near their HMMWV. Both soldiers were assigned to the Army Reserve's 405th Civil Affairs Battalion, Fort Bragg, N.C. Killed were: Sgt. 1st Class Merideth L. Howard, 52, of Alameda, California and Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul, 43, of The Dalles, Oregon.
As Oregonians, we take the death of each of our soldiers quite personally. As we bid farewell to another, it is important to remember the man he was and the family he left behind.
Staff Sgt Robert J Paul, an Army Reservist, was assigned to the 364th Civil Affairs Brigade, HHC, based in Portland, Oregon. These units serve as the main liaison between the military and the civilian populations of the country where the military is operating.
SSG Paul was originally from Hammond, Indiana. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1987-1989. He earned a Master's Degree in Urban Planning and Economic Development in 1995 from the University of Maryland. He joined the Army Reserve in April 1997. In 1998, He began working for the City of The Dalles, Oregon as an associate planner and became the senior planner. In 2001, he joined the Wasco County Planning Department as the senior land-use planner.
SSG Paul was a great lover of the wilderness and an avid kayaker. "Bob loved this area so much. He moved out here because he loved the west, he loved Oregon, and he loved the gorge (the Columbia River Gorge). He was very much into hiking and trailrunning and whitewater kayaking, all the outdoor experience," said Todd Cornett, Planning director.
In early 2004, SSG Paul was called to active duty and sent to Iraq to help build infrastructure, focusing on urban planning. He was deployed to Afghanistan in Spring of 2006. While in Iraq, he wrote, "It was pretty obvious what was broken and rundown. Saddam did absolutely no maintenance to his cities. Everything was broken or about to break. I had expected to do a lot of repair from military actions. Not at all. Those buildings were, for the most part, destroyed. I was performing maintenance and repair on systems that were not maintained for decades. They were also poorly designed. Naturally, I worked with community groups and the like to get projects aimed at what civilians wanted most rather than what I thought they should want most."
In a statement released by the Army, his family said, "Bob was the kind of guy, who if called for duty, would serve. he never turned down an opportunity because he always wanted to make a difference in everything he did -- the Peace Corps, the Army, his civilian job and, most importantly, his family and friends."
SSG Robert Paul is survived by his daughter, Ilena; mother and father, Esther and Sheldon; and sisters, Monica and Debra.
As we say farewell and God Speed to SSG Robert Paul, we value what he sacrificed for us and what he gave to so many while he was here.
Best book on post-invasion Iraq so far.......2005-08-19
This is a great book that gives you the feel of being in body armor and kevlar when it is 120 degrees outside with no shade, and you are in a humvee with the adrenaline pumping. This is a very balanced book with no axe to grind, just a story to tell. I really admire the author and this book. What a great contribution ! If you read one book on post-war Iraq, this should be it.
Book Description
Photos by Russ Bryant, text by Amy Goodpaster Strebe. Dramatic, harrowing, and simply unbelievable images of the Marines of Operation Iraqi Freedom, personal letters, and stories of coping with the pain of separation from their families and the horrors of war.
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2005-10-09
I am a SIXTEEN (more than 12!) year veteran of the Corps and I think a book like this is long overdue. I found myself in the Gulf War after only 2 years in the Corps and subsequently went to Haiti, Somalia, Bosnia, Afganistan, and then Iraqi Freedom. Thank you, Russ Bryant - for making a book that shows us outside of combat, just being ourselves.
Those who are nostalgic for combat are usually those who didn't see any in the first place.
Excellent photography.......2004-07-16
It's not meant to be a "gung-ho, kill'em all and let God sort'em out" type of military book.
It tells the story of how our brave men and women pass the time in a foreign land while waiting for their orders, knowing that just over the horizon there's a country to invade and enemies to battle. Meanwhile, they're trying to create the illusion of home and the comfort of routine...they get their hair cut, they play cards, they wash the jeeps and humvees, they horse around and write letters home and shop for soda and hot rod magazines.
These aren't the stories and photos of glory on the battlefield. It's what our soldiers do before and after their job is done.
Yet, Bryant shoots his subjects in a touching way and really captures the spirit of each soldier as an individual, with hopes and dreams and fears.
It's an engaging and unique book. Not like the other books of military photography out there.
A book all of America should see.......2004-07-16
The photography in this book is by far the most captivating of any images I have seen come out of Iraq. It sidesteps the horrifying shock-value images so often splashed across the media pages and newsreels. Instead, it shows what our soldiers are doing day in, and day out. A beautiful book.
Awesome!.......2004-07-16
The photography in this book is by far the most captivating of any images I have seen come out of Iraq. It sidesteps the horrifying shock-value images so often splashed across the media pages and newsreels. Instead, it shows what our soldiers are doing day in, and day out. A beautiful book.
Don't waste your money........2004-07-14
If I could rate this book in negative stars I would. I am a 12-year Marine Corps combat veteran and have been following the Marines in Iraq closely. I recommend The March Up and Generation Kill but this picture book is a waste of time and money. The pictures are entirely of rear echelon types in Camp Fox and other camps washing their hair, wrestling, standing in line at the PX. Not a single combat photo except two pictures of a burnned out Amtrak in two locations in the book and one of an M1 Abrams that flipped off a bridge. The photographer should have got some guts and gone and got some good Marine Grunt combat photos. What a waste.
Book Description
This sensational book reveals the true and compelling story of the Special Force units of the Coalition, such as the SAS, SBS and Delta Force who worked in the shadows, often unseen, unheard and unsung. It describes their missions behind the lines from the early days, well before hostilities opened formally. It was an open secret that groups were deployed probably operating in the western desert against Saddam's forces and the Scud missile threat. What was actually going on is revealed here and until now their roles and actions have not been described in any detail.
These are thrilling tales of incredible daring and endurance told by men whose courage and military skills are inspiring. The book also covers operations such as the spectacular rescue of POW Private Lynch and the secret operations to target Saddam and other leaders of his regime of terror.
Customer Reviews:
A survey of behind-the-lines missions both at the beginning and up to modern times.......2006-05-23
Special Force units of the Coalition from the SAS to Delta are analyzed in SPECIAL OPERATIONS IN IRAQ, a survey of behind-the-lines missions both at the beginning and up to modern times. Here are stories of courage, strategy and daring which captures the daily operations and events, rescues, secret missions and more. How do these become exposed? Author Mike Ryan's contacts within the Special Forces community blend with maps, black and white and color photos, and more to make for an outstanding, vivid account.
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch
Not even close!.......2005-04-13
As a member of one of the Special Operations units about which Ryan wrote, I am both elated as well as dismayed he got so many details wrong. I am certain he has no regard for Operations Security, and the sterile, vague information the units released could just have easily been gleaned from reading through USA Today and watching CNN and Fox news to put a hazy picture together. My family and friends found it interesting and might have learned a few "mysteries" surrounding my job, but there is definitely not much of substance in between the binders of this book. Not recommended for military professional reading. Might help with special ops recruiting, though.
Wait five years, maybe ten........2005-01-30
In the age of hyper-intense whiny media coverage, anyone who thinks Task Force 20/121 or similar operations will be written about in a current and informative manner is pretty much deluded.
While this is a nice start point for someone who never heard of the concept of special operations in a joint warfighting context, I would wait if you want hard specifics on what the guys in the commercial-purchase LBV's and the hockey helmets were up to.
Good for Beginners.......2004-11-08
I expected a little more and was mildly disappointed. This book provided the occasional snippet of new info on special ops in Iraq and little new info on special forces in total. There was some exciting new info on the UK's SBS in Iraq as well as US's Gray Fox unit. Also a lot of new detail on Delta Force's selection process. I was very disappointed when the author seems to confuse the US Navy's Special Boat Squadron with the UK's Special Boat Service; specifically, he illustrates the unit crest for the UK unit at the mention of either unit (p.113). Some of his prose was hard to figure out. I've read a lot of these special ops books and I still recommend E. Haney's Delta Force and C. Pfarrer's Warrior Soul as the most entertaining and informative.
disappointing.......2004-10-30
This book has disappointed me. It lacks structure and aim. Although Ryan describes some Special Forces operations in Iraq, he relies on other subjects to fill the book. The larger part of the book deals with descriptions of several Special Forces, chapters on the future of these forces and their training and selection and a lot of photos. These other subjects are described in an unbalanced way, sometimes very brief and sometimes very extensive. It is clear that Ryan in British. This must explain why he spends 16 pages on the exploits of the SAS in the Gulf war.
The book seems to be thrown together in a hurry. I advise people who are interested in a full account of Special Forces in Iraq to wait a little longer.
Books:
- Caesar's Commentaries: On The Gallic War and On The Civil War
- Cathar Castles: Fortresses of the Albigensian Crusade 1209-1300 (Fortress)
- Celia Garth
- Chainbreaker: The Revolutionary War Memoirs of Governor Blacksnake (American Indian Lives)
- Darsan
- David Humphreys' "Life of General Washington": With George Washington's "Remarks"
- East Asia: A Cultural, Social, And Political History
- First Crusader: Byzantium's Holy Wars
- Flags of Our Fathers
- Flawless Execution: Use the Techniques and Systems of America's Fighter Pilots to Perform at Your Peak and Win the Battles of the Business World
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Killer Angels
- I Heard That Song Before: A Novel
- Architecture for Art: American Art Museums, 1938-2008
- Chinese Lattice Designs
- Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Law School Confidential
- From Doon with Death
- Architectural Research Methods
- Best Golf Course Management Practices
- Roadside wildflowers of New Mexico
General
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder With the Marines Who Took Fallujah
One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer
The Highway War: A Marine Company Commander in Iraq
Fallujah, with Honor; First Battalion, Eighth Marine's Role in Operation Phantom Fury; Expanded 2nd Edition
No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah
