The Battle of Mogadishu: First Hand Accounts From the Men of Task Force Ranger

The Battle of Mogadishu: First Hand Accounts From the Men of Task Force Ranger
Average customer rating:

The Book and the movie are different

A worthy addition to Black Hawk Down.

not very good, and short...

The Battle

Why?

The Battle of Mogadishu: First Hand Accounts From the Men of Task Force Ranger

Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Africa | History | Subjects | Books
Somalia | Africa | History | Subjects | Books
General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
General | United States | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Veterans | United States | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0345459652
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Book Description

“No matter how skilled the writer of nonfiction, you are always getting the story secondhand. Here’s a chance to go right to the source. . . . These men were there.”
–MARK BOWDEN (from the Foreword)

It started as a mission to capture a Somali warlord. It turned into a disastrous urban firefight and death-defying rescue operation that shocked the world and rattled a great nation. Now the 1993 battle for Mogadishu, Somalia–the incident that was the basis of the book and film Black Hawk Down–is remembered by the men who fought and survived it. Six of the best in our military recall their brutal experiences and brave contributions in these never-before-published, firstperson accounts.

“Operation Gothic Serpent,” by Matt Eversmann: As a “chalk” leader, Eversmann was part of the first group of Rangers to “fast rope” from the Black Hawk helicopters. It was his chalk that suffered the first casualty of the battle.

“Sua Sponte: Of Their Own Accord,” by Raleigh Cash: Responsible for controlling and directing fire support for the platoon, Cash entered the raging battle in the ground convoy sent to rescue his besieged brothers in arms.

“Through My Eyes,” by Mike Kurth: One of only two African Americans in the battle, Kurth confronted his buddies’ deaths, realizing that “the only people whom I had let get anywhere near me since I was a child were gone.”

“What Was Left Behind,” by John Belman: He roped into the biggest firefight of the battle and considers some of the mistakes that were made, such as using Black Hawk helicopters to provide sniper cover.

“Be Careful What You Wish For,” by Tim Wilkinson: He was one of the Air Force pararescuemen or PJs–the highly trained specialists for whom “That Others May Live” is no catchphrase but a credo–and sums up his incomprehensible courage as “just holding up my end of the deal on a bad day.”

“On Friendship and Firefights,” by Dan Schilling: As a combat controller, he was one of the original planners for the deployment of SOF forces to Mogadishu in the spring of 1993. During the battle, he survived the initial assault and carnage of the vehicle convoys only to return to the city to rescue his two closest friends, becoming, literally, “Last Out.”

With America’s withdrawal from Somalia an oft-cited incitement to Osama bin Laden, it is imperative to revisit this seminal military mission and learn its lessons from the men who were there and, amazingly, are still here.

Customer Reviews:

The Book and the movie are different.......2007-07-27

I really enjoyed this book! I read it in one week because it was so interesting when I started reading it I couldn't put it down. One thing that really grabbed my attention vividly is that when the troops in Somalia went out on patrol they said that when the Somalian's saw that there were Americians in the streets they would stop fighting each other and turn thier attention toward the Americans and start firing at them!

After I read this book, I couldn't watch the movie anymore because the book and the movie are somewhat different. It's kind of hard to watch the movie and see events unfold that didn't actually happen. For instance, the movie portrays Eversman as being in the stronghold with Kurth and some of the other Rangers all night after securing the Super 61 crash site and maybe I missed it somewhere in the book but I don't remember reading that. From what I read, Eversman went back to the airport after the hostage snatch. The movie is more "Hollywood" I think although the movie is very good but I think Eversman's version is told more accurately and more detailed. I really enjoyed it!

A worthy addition to Black Hawk Down........2007-04-01

This is a nice addition to the Black Hawk Down book and movie. Basically it is the story of six soldiers who were part of the battle in 1993. Yes, this book is not Black Hawk Down, but it does provide additional insight into this battle. I thought the six authors did well in providing their own picture of the battle. All six had different perspectives on what happened and this is shown through their stories.

If you have one book to read about this battle, it would be Black Hawk Down. However, this is a nice addition for those interested in knowing further info on this infamous battle.

not very good, and short..........2006-07-06

the title pretty much says it all. read blackhawk down instead...

The Battle.......2006-07-06

This book is made of many firsthand accounts of soldiers who were there. It is good supplementry reading to Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down.

Why?.......2006-06-07

I don't understand the purpose of this book. The six authors all had their story told in Black Hawk Down already. These stories sound like the boring extended scene versions, whereas Bowden only used the highlights of their actions to better convey the intensity of what happened.

Only one author, Dan Schilling, rose above the cliches and bland writing of the others to write a great story. Interestingly, his chapter is the last one in the book as if the editor knew to save the best for last. His story is the only one with depth and feeling.

I respect these guys as soldiers, but as authors they have a long way to go.

Average customer rating:

Interesting Perspective on Somalia
Journey into a Dantean Hell .
In the Land of the Shape Shifters
The Shifting Terrain of a Civil War
"We should have the vulture as our national symbol."

Links
Nuruddin Farah
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Knots
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ASIN: 1573222658
Release Date: 2004-03-25

Book Description

Jeebleh is returning to Mogadiscio from New York for the first time in twenty years. It is not a nostalgia trip for him-Jeebleh's last residence here was a jail cell. And who could feel nostalgic for a city like this? The U.S. troops have recently come and gone, and the decimated city is ruled by clan warlords and patrolled by qaat-chewing gangs who shoot civilians to relieve their adolescent boredom.

Jeebleh is returning to visit his mother's grave and to settle her outstanding accounts-but more urgently, the youngest member of his oldest friend's family has been abducted. Though they have not seen each other in two decades, Jeebleh knows from their childhood that his friend-a virtual brother, who remained in Somalia when Jeebleh left-will need Jeebleh to step in. Jeebleh is determined to cut through the swirling violence and corruption to rescue the little girl-and, perhaps, a piece of his own identity.

Gripping, provocative, and revelatory, Links is the finest work yet from Farah, a novel that will secure his place in the international literary firmament and stand as a classic of modern world literature.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting Perspective on Somalia.......2006-04-12

Prior to reading Links by Nuruddin Farah, my primary image of the Somali civil war came from the movie Black Hawk Down. Seeing the American involvement in Somalia from the perspective of Somalis is a very interesting aspect of this novel. Yet this is just one facet of the novel, which revolves around the story of a Somali-American who returns to his native country to visit family.

Jeeblah, the main character, is disgusted by the violence upon his initial return to Somalia. As the plot progresses, though, he is increasingly drawn into the web of violence and revenge. To a degree, his story parallels that of the American intervention in Somalia, beginning with good intentions that get compromised in the context of internecine strife.

Links is well-written and interesting, a worthwhile read.

Journey into a Dantean Hell ........2004-06-02

This was a provocative ,inspiring read . Farah takes us to a place that exists in the present but is also surreal . It is a story of redemption and self -exploration ,written in a true voice .
I thouroughly enjoyed the intimacy of Farahs writing . The characters were real and represented both good and evil . Sometimes within the same persona ! Nuruddin Farah has taken us to a place that we could never fully appreciate without his flourishing prose.
This novel should be read by anyone who wishes to explore the inner recesses of the Somalian culture and the pathos that exists during any rebellion .

In the Land of the Shape Shifters.......2004-04-25

I was introduced to the writing of Nuruddin Farah several years ago when a friend gave me one of his books. I loved it so much, and I was so impressed with Farah?s writing, that I?ve made a point to keep up with everything he publishes. Although LINKS is not quite my favorite work of Farah?s, I think it is both wonderfully and powerfully written. It is certainly an important book for any serious reader.

Farah, a native of Somalia, sets his books in that sad, war torn country, but LINKS could so easily echo what is happening in other countries of Africa at the present time as well as in Haiti.

The protagonist of LINKS is Jeebleh, a native born Somalian who has lived in the US with his American wife and their family for twenty years. The death of his mother, however, forces him back to Mogadishu, despite the fact that he was once a political prisoner and then exiled. His purpose is twofold: he wants to locate his mother?s grave and he wants to help find the kidnapped niece, Raasta, of his dear friend and one time comrade, Bile.

When Jeebleh arrives in Mogadishu, he finds a Somalia that is quite different from the one he left. If anything, the people are even more bloodthirsty than before. In fact, there is a strange man, Af-Laawe, who meets Jeebleh at the airport. Although claiming to be charitable, Af-Laawe is quite corrupt.

Jeebleh?s reunion with Bile isn?t what he imagined it would be, but they both come into contact (and conflict) once again with Bile?s cruel half-brother, Caloosha. Caloosha is the man, who, many years earlier, jailed both Bile and Jeebleh. Now, Caloosha is even more powerful than before and Bile and Jeebleh expect him of masterminding the abduction of Raasta (you will have to read the book to find out if he did or not).

By the end of the book, Jeebleh is definitely not the same man as the one who arrived in Mogadishu. He has changed, and it will be a matter of opinion as to whether you think he?s changed for the worse or is simply ?more realistic.?

LINKS is beautifully written, despite two or three awkward phrases. Although English is not Farah?s native language, it is the language in which he chooses to write and personally, I think he does a wonderful job. LINKS is a disturbing book because it deals with happenings that are all too real and the vignettes of war torn Somalia that pepper the book are so very vivid and real they are painful. Jeebleh?s dream sequences were so beautifully written and I loved them. I thought they added much to the book, but readers looking for stark realism might not care for them as much as I did.

LINKS is a very sophisticated and very important book, written by one of Africa?s premier writers. I would strongly recommend that every serious reader read LINKS as well as Farah?s other books. Not only are they beautifully written and compelling, they are enlightening as well.

The Shifting Terrain of a Civil War.......2004-04-15

In LINKS, a novel set in Somalia after the U.S. "peacekeeping" invasion, Nuruddin Farah has created a powerful psychological landscape of a people torn by civil war. Jeebleh arrives via airplane in Mogadiscio and at once witnesses the senseless murder of a ten year old German boy. When he learns that the teenagers who shot the boy kill for sport, he realizes his beloved country has sunk further than he had imagined. This Somalia is not a land of logic, not one of law and order. Yet, Jeebleh, once a political prisoner, has returned to his homeland for reasons which aren't readily apparent and which put his life in danger. His childhood friends, half-brothers who were raised by Jeebleh's mother as her own sons, oppose each other, thus bringing the precarious nature of this civil war deep into Jeebleh's personal life. Bile is Jeebleh's dear friend, a pacifist, medical doctor, and idealist who runs a refuge for those displaced by the war; Bile has suffered greatly during a lengthy imprisonment and still bears the scars. Caloosha, Bile's older half brother, is a war lord, torturer, and former captor of both Jeebleh and Bile. Caloosha is now suspected of being behind the kidnapping of Bile's charmed and beloved niece Raasta and her playmate. Raasta, who is seen as a miracle child and peacemaker, has become a symbol of hope for many, and her recovery has implications not only for those who love her but for Somalia as a whole.

In Farah's Somalia, no one can be trusted. Suspicions run so deep that an enemy can be a temporary savior and a friend can endanger one's life. It is a land scarred by gunshot and desperate poverty. Despite its harrowing decline, Farah's deep affection for his homeland radiates in his descriptions. His sorrow for what has happened resonates in every word. As Jeebleh makes his way through the maze of what's left, we are shown the many sides of modern Somalia and the repercussions of its division.

This spectacular novel, despite its emotional force, does have its weaknesses, though they are minor compared to the rewards. Farah's detailed description of Jeebleh's dreams, which alternate between the cryptic and the heavy-handed, add little to the real-life nightmare before him. And the writing (English is not Farah's native language) is occasionally awkward and peppered with similes such as "Bile's features had roughened at the edges, like frozen butter exposed to sudden heat" and "the omelette, which was as cold as a morgue." In these instances, Farah seems to be working too hard to impress - and failing at it - when his honest, direct style does so much more to win over the reader. This straightforward storytelling, used to describe a world that is everything but straightforward, brilliantly evokes the frightening chaos.

LINKS is an important literary achievement that deserves to be widely read. Farah's honesty and keen eye have brought a little-understood country and its culture into sharp focus. Unlike the characters he portrays, Farah can be trusted, for his guidance through the labyrinth of a destroyed Somalia is both authoritative and loving.

"We should have the vulture as our national symbol.".......2004-04-03

Returning to Somalia twenty years after he was imprisoned and then sent into exile, Jeebleh arrives at a remote Mogadiscio airport now under the control of a major warlord. He has arrived from his adopted home in America to help his cousin Bile, affiliated with a warlord in the south of the city, find and rescue his kidnapped daughter and a friend. Because he belongs to the same clan as the warlord in the north, Jeebleh may be in a particularly good position to help if the child has been taken by a rival. The political situation is so tangled, however, that at times no one really knows who is allied with whom. "Here," someone says, "we don't think of 'friends' anymore. We rely on our clansmen...sharing ancestral blood."

It is not accidental that Jeebleh has received his doctorate for his book on Dante's Inferno, the symbolic parallel for the existentialist nightmare we see in Somalia. "We are at best good badmen or bad badmen," a Somali tells him as he tries to navigate the minefield of loyalties in Mogadiscio and stay alive. As Jeebleh tries to figure out whether his cousin Bile is one of the "good badmen" or "bad badmen" and whether Bile's half-brother in the north is involved in the kidnapping, we learn about his family background, Somali culture and history, and the mysterious associates of various warlords who want to "help" Jeebleh. The novel is filled with high tension as various characters, including Jeebleh, are pulled in different directions by circumstances over which they have no control. His enigmatic dreams and nightmares are much like the reality of life in Mogadiscio, where the crows and vultures are now tame because they are so well fed by the violence.

Author Farah's own background as an exiled Somali makes this novel particularly vivid, and the cultural conflicts and the pressures placed on Jeebleh's family loyalties ring with truth. As he represses his American values and makes some major decisions as a Somali, Jeebleh becomes part of the story of Somalia, "I've taken sides and made choices that may put my life in danger." Stressing that it is "only when there is harmony within the smaller unit," i.e., the family, that "the larger community finds comfort in the idea of the nation," Farah creates a taut novel in which the tensions within the family are a microcosm of the tensions within the country. Realistic in its descriptions and allegorical in its implications, Farah's novel is a breathtaking and sophisticated study of violence and betrayal certain to receive international recognition. Mary Whipple

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A fast moving thriller with a serious content

"Nightfall" brings Somalia to life

Desperate People in a Desperate Place

The Suspense Will Keep You Turning Pages!

Nightfall in Mogadishu

Nightfall in Mogadishu
Veronica Li
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Journey Across the Four Seas: A Chinese Woman's Search for Home

ASIN: 1588202518

Customer Reviews:

A fast moving thriller with a serious content.......2004-08-22

The best part of this book is its description of Somalia and how the country rapidly descends into chaos as a result of corruption, aid dependence and warring clan factions. Veronica Li skillfully evokes the factors behind the collapse of the country and the reader is drawn into the increasingly frightening mood. A former World Bank loan officer for Somalia, her depiction of the foreign community of aid workers who - some idealistically, others for cynical power politics - attempt to support the failing state is an insider's account. All this serious political content is seamlessly built into a highly readable and fast moving thriller with characters that the reader starts to care about.

"Nightfall" brings Somalia to life.......2001-07-25

"Nightfall in Mogadishu" is a real page-turner that puts the reader behind the scenes of third world politics and the international aid game at a time of crisis and chaos. Those who knew Somalia in the 90's will recognize it; those who don't are in for an eye-opener. Either way you will feel like you are there, with undercover CIA operative Susan Chen, trying to stay alive and make sense of it all as the country collapses around you. Veronica Li brings a unique perspective to this story of a troubled country at a troubled time. Only someone who lived it could write it so well.

Desperate People in a Desperate Place.......2001-04-08

I just finished "Nightfall in Mogadishu," and I can't say enough about its realistic portrayal of a corrupt, third-world country and it's plunge into desperate anarchy. Set in the early 1990s, the book is based on real events that set the stage for later involvement by the U.S. military and a UN peacekeeping force. As Somalia descends into riots and banditry, you can smell the death in the decaying streets. Amid the danger, CIA agent Susan Chen hunts for a terrorist killer who is systematically assassinating international aid officials in this blighted, sun-blasted city, where the rule of ancient clans provides the subtext for business, law and love. The tension builds as the thin veneer of civilization begins to slip away from the city, and as the inevitable coup is prepared by a scheming general and greedy minister of finance against the brutal dictatorship of Said Barre. Author Veronica Li, who as a former World Bank representative was stationed in Modadishu, takes you into a world of international finance and intrigue that is little known to most Americans. Beautiful CIA agent Susan Chen moves through Mogodishu like a predator through a jungle. I kept turning pages, and I bet you will too.

The Suspense Will Keep You Turning Pages!.......2001-03-30

You're going to love this novel. This is an thriller that grabs you and will not let you go, with page-turners that will surprise and greatly entertain you. You will become so engaged with the truthfully portrayed main characters that you will feel a personal stake in their welfare. You will know what Somalia was like in it's last days -- the corruption and greed that took it to the point of no return -- that made the collapsed of Somalia inevitable. Don't miss this one!

Nightfall in Mogadishu.......2001-02-14

Buy this book!! Nightfall in Mogadishu transports you to that war torn country with an authentic feel for the place and time. The characters are well drawn and the story draws you in. The suspense builds and the ending does not disappoint! You will be reading far past your bed time to get to the end!! It is an excellant story, and well written. I can't wait for Ms. Li's next book.

Losing Mogadishu: Testing U.S. Policy in Somalia

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Much Different than Black Hawk Down

Losing Mogadishu: Testing U.S. Policy in Somalia
Jonathan Stevenson
Manufacturer: US Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Somalia | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1557507880

Customer Reviews:

Much Different than Black Hawk Down.......2003-10-15

The book tells the story of recent Somali culture and Aidid's rise to power. The main points of Stevenson's argument revolve around how the U.S. lacked intelligence on what the real problems were in Somalia. He tells a story of clan warfare in Somalia where teenagers have grown up in the midst of gunfire; how 18 and 25 year olds are battle hardened soldiers. Stevenson asserts that while Somalis tend to hate members of the other clans, they dislike outsiders even more. There is no Somali nationalism except in the respect that they hate anyone who is not a Somali. The failure of the U.S. to understand these elements of Somali society culture led to many mistakes during the tenure of Operation Restore Hope. At the end of the book, Stevenson offers seven "lessons" the U.S. should take away from Somalia. They are the key portion of the book and are summarized below.

Lesson 1: Military Intervention is the Last Resort

All other avenues of solving the problem must be exhausted before turning to military intervention. U.S. and U.N. hopes for success were dashed when they stopped dealing with Aidid as a statesman and began treating him as a criminal. Stevenson writes that one of the realities of the Post Cold War era is that "terrorists become statesmen" and the U.S. only strengthened Aidid by casting him as the villain and blaming for all of Somalia's problems. The U.S. belief that getting rid of Aidid would get rid of the problems was naïve.

When intervention is necessary, Stevenson believes regional forces should handle the situation. He states that using regional forces is preferable because 1) free trade and regional stability will be promoted if neighbors are forced to deal with and solve one another's problems, 2) local solutions are likely to be less costly, 3) countries in the region will have more intimate knowledge of the problems and culture, and 4) should more intervention become necessary, regional resistance to outside intervention will be reduced because a regional solution has already failed.

Lesson 2: Know Your Enemy

The American view of the Somalis as intellectually, culturally, militarily inferior fits with the typical imagery of viewing a developing country as a child. Stevenson argues this kind of either ignorance or arrogance lead to unnecessary consequences in Somalia. The U.S. failed to understand that while Somalis loathe rival clan and subclan members, they loathe outsiders even more. They also did a sloppy job of military planning at the tactical level. U.S. helicopters flew the same routes and used the same formulas for their "snatch and grab" missions everyday-fly in and have Delta Force sweep the target areas while ringed by Rangers for protection. Thus, the Somalis knew where to direct fire to take down a helicopter and what to do once American troops were on the ground. American planners also did a poor job with translations on leaflet drops, provided little historical or cultural knowledge for the soldier on the ground, and did not comprehend the role khat played in lives of the gun-toting young men. Had the U.S. done a thorough job of examining Somali history and culture, they may have been able to avoid such mistakes.

Lesson 3: Establish Tight Command-and-Control

Decentralized command-and-control led to some unfortunate mishaps in Somalia. The U.S. had difficulty controlling arms flows to the Somalis because other states' peacekeeping forces took a much more relaxed approach to their mission, translating into a porous hole through which Somalis could smuggle arms or whatever they wanted. Different UNOSOM II factions had different rules of engagement, confusing the Somalis about what behavior was acceptable and what was not. Other fractured communications structures meant delays in reinforcements and wrong turns made by the convoy during the October 3 firefight.

Lesson 4: Let Soldiers be Soldiers

The argument here is that soldiers were not trained to act as a police force or mediators. Having to be passive does not mesh with what they are trained to do. Some soldiers even began dubbing their mission "Groundhog Day" because they repeated the same tasks day in and day out. Stevenson suggests interventions such as Somalia should be about compellance rather than deterrence. The U.S. military is trained to be aggressive and proactive, putting them in passive situations is asking them to do a job for which they are not prepared.

Lesson 5: Prefer Active Security to Passive Force

Very similar to Lesson 4, this lesson addresses the type of force that should be used in interventions as opposed to what soldiers types of actions soldiers should be allowed to undertake. Stevenson recommends less reliance on manpower and more on weaponry. The mistake in Somalia was applying the overwhelming force doctrine and only securing American compounds and distribution routes. What they should have been doing was securing territory and pursuing active disarmament of the Somalis.

Lesson 6: Keep Vietnam in Perspective

Riddled throughout the narrative in the earlier portion of the book are references to how politicians and military men alike wanted to avoid another Vietnam. Stevenson points out how Somalia's situation differed in many respects from that which American forces faced in Vietnam. He prescribes using small, mobile, technological units engaging in aggressive actions that stress agility, diversion, and the element of surprise.

Lesson 7: Plan for Decent Intervals

The notion underpinning this lesson is better planning on the transition phase must occur. Gradually phasing out U.S. soldiers and replacing them with a multilateral U.N. peacekeeping force would "allow the beneficiary population to be weaned of its dependence." Pulling troops out en masse makes it much more likely the country will experience a relapse. The U.S. must ensure that the U.N. is in a position to manage the situation before the U.S. abandons the area.

2007 Country Profile and Guide to Somalia - National Travel Guidebook and Handbook - U.S. Military and Mogadishu, Operation Restore Hope, Agriculture (Two CD-ROM Set)
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2007 Country Profile and Guide to Somalia - National Travel Guidebook and Handbook - U.S. Military and Mogadishu, Operation Restore Hope, Agriculture (Two CD-ROM Set)
U.S. Government
Manufacturer: Progressive Management
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

General | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books
Somalia | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1422013812
Release Date: 2007-01-20

Product Description

Completely updated and revised for this new edition, our unique electronic book on two CD-ROMs has an amazing collection of the finest federal documents and resources about Somalia, providing encyclopedic coverage of all aspects of the country. This disc set provides a truly fantastic reference source, with over one hundred thousand pages reproduced in Adobe Acrobat format! There is complete coverage of newsworthy material about Somalia, including doing business, agriculture, Ethiopia-Somalia conflict, USAID (thousands of pages of reports), Horn of Africa Complex Emergency, U.S. Military and Mogadishu, Operation Restore Hope, Operation Continue Hope, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Somalia Report, Somalia Lessons Learned, Polio in Somalia, U.S. Senate Hearing 2006, Africa Business Guide, piracy, Blackhawk Shootdown, Energy in Africa, Drought and agriculture, and more. This incredible and comprehensive series on the countries of the world contains material from the State Department, Department of Defense, White House, and cabinet agencies including Agriculture, Energy, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. There is complete information about geography, people, government, the economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues. In addition to the nation-specific material, as a bonus we have included reports about every country on the globe, with 271 nations, dependent areas, and other entities identified by the Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA World Factbook is considered an invaluable "world encyclopedia" reference book. This incredible two CD-ROM set is packed with over 100,000 pages reproduced using Adobe Acrobat PDF software - allowing direct viewing on Windows and Macintosh systems. The Acrobat cataloging technology adds enormous value and uncommon functionality to this impressive collection of government documents and material. Our news and educational discs are privately compiled collections of offi

In the Company of Heroes : The True Story of Black Hawk Pilot Michael Durant and the Men Who Fought and Fell at Mogadishu

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A Hero in the Company of Heroes
Michael Durant's incredible, exciting story of his crash and captivity
In the Company of Heroes
Amazing!
Combat action as literature

In the Company of Heroes : The True Story of Black Hawk Pilot Michael Durant and the Men Who Fought and Fell at Mogadishu
Steven Hartov
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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The Night Stalkers
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ASIN: 074353056X

Book Description

"Ranger, Ranger, you die Somalia!" shouted the enraged Somali voices surrounding Blackhawk helicopter pilot Michael J. Durant, his bird shot down by a well-placed rocket-propelled grenade. With his devastating injuries, Durant would be lucky to survive the night.

"Mike Durant...Mike Durant..." came the disembodied voice floating above the war-torn streets of Mogadishu, mixed in with the steady drone of a large U.S. Army helicopter. "Mike Durant...We will not leave without you!"

Piloting a U.S. Army Special Operations Blackhawk, Durant was shot down and captured on October 3, 1993, in the battle depicted in Mark Bowden's bestselling book Black Hawk Down. Durant became a prisoner of Somali warlord Mohammed Aidid -- the man responsible for prolonging starvation in his country by hijacking United Nations food shipments. U.S. policy makers had determined that capturing Aidid was the only way to restore order. The simple snatch-and-grab plan, named Operation Gothic Serpent, turned into the biggest U.S. Firefight since the Vietnam War.

Durant's experience as a prisoner in Somalia grew increasingly bizarre, crystallizing a clash of cultures by turns frightening, melancholy, hilarious, and strangely familiar. Revealing never-before-told stories with the incisive thought and emotion of one who was there, In the Company of Heroes is one man's unforgettable, true story of going to hell and making it back alive.

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"Michael Durant the U.S. Army helicopter pilot captured in Somalia (and who was an integral part of the dramatic story chronicled in Black Hawk Down), tells his personal story of his involvement in the events of October 1993. His battered face appeared on the cover of Time, Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report to the shock and horror of all Americans. Black Hawk pilot Mike Durant was shot down and taken prisoner during America's biggest firefight since the Vietnam War. Published in the tenth anniversary year of the Somali conflict, this gripping personal account at last tells the world about Durant's harrowing captivity and the heroic deeds of his doomed comrades. And, as readers will discover, Durant proves himself to be nothing less than a hero."

Customer Reviews:

A Hero in the Company of Heroes.......2007-08-03

Durant's story takes us from Black Hawk Down and gives us a persalized look into his ordeal in Somalia. But he also gives an itimate look into the lives and beliefs of his captors. This is must read book for anyone interested in the survival of the human spirit.

Michael Durant's incredible, exciting story of his crash and captivity.......2007-06-22

Wow! This book is a terrific! I could hardly put the book down after I started reading it. Durant and Steven Hartov recount all the vivid and unforgettable details of the Black Hawk's crash into the heart of the most unfriendly territory - Aidid-controlled Mogadishu.
The two truly heroic and fearless Delta operators, Gary Gordon and Randy Shugart, attempt to rescue Durant from a massive mob of hate-filled Somalis. Unfortunately, the operators run out of ammo and are overwhelmed by the Somalis' huge numbers. Any minute Durant expects to be literally torn or cut apart limb by limb. With a broken back and leg, Durant can do little to protect himself or get away. And then, like a miracle, he is literally pulled out of the hands of the mob and into custody by a rival warlord's clan.

The story then goes on to cover Durant's initial captivity in dismal and dangerous conditions. His bone-jarring and pain-racking transfers across the pothole-filled streets of Mogadishu, being used as a seat cushion to make it past guarded checkpoints. Despite the obviously searing pain he must have felt, he managed to keep a diary and hold onto his sanity.

The story goes on to describe TF Ranger's search and rescue efforts to locate him (provides a good argument for electronic tracking devices placed in military pilots) and also some behind-the-scenes American diplomatic maneuvers to secure his release (which did work). The Red Cross also visited Durant and helped get essential medicine & emotional support to him. Durant also describes the Somalis he was guarded by and his unusual Somali doctor who carried his limited medical supplies in a fishing tackle box.

Besides the captivity narrative, the book is interspersed with progressive snapshots of Durant's military piloting career as an army helicopter pilot. Durant talks about his training and experiences in the blizzards of South Korea, the jungles of Panama, and gruellingly intense survival-evasion-resistance-escape school in the US. The book winds up with his repatriation, recovery, and eventual return to marathon-running and off-duty flying.

The entire book is packed with action and fascinating military experiences. This book rocks! You'll be dogging bullets right next there to Durant while you're reading it!

In the Company of Heroes.......2007-06-06

Book came in the time frame and in the condition specified.

Amazing!.......2007-05-31

I looked at this book several times in the store before I actually bought it and read it. I was avoiding it, I guess, because this battle has already been so thoroughly covered I didn't think there could be much more to tell. If that's what you've been thinking, I say get this one! This is one of the best firsthand accounts I've read. First of all, there is plenty of new stuff from Mogadishu in it. Second, seeing this whole thing through Durant's eyes is brutal and honest. The letter from the wife of one of the Delta operators that helped save the author is well worth the price of the book.

Combat action as literature.......2007-05-01

It is a rare pleasure to discover a book about intense combat action, bravery under fire, and the painful realities of capture and privation that does not read like an Army Field Manual. Instead, "Company of Heroes" reads like a well-crafted novel. It opens with the crash of one of the Black Hawk helicopters described so grippingly in Mark Bowden's best seller "Black Hawk Down." In that superb true action thriller, we get the big picture of the successful but costly snatch and grab operation in Mogadishu. In "Company," we relive the operation from one of the pilots who crash landed in the midst of thousands of angry Somali rebels.

Durant cuts back and forth from describing his existing plight, to flash backs describing how he became a special ops Night Stalker helo pilot. The technique works wonderfully, filling-in ever more details of his training and combat experiences, and culminating in his crash, capture, imprisonment and astonishing release.

As satisfying is the description of the work ethic that imbues our most elite fighting men. These guys do not dissimulate, they do not brag, and they perfect their skills to a degree not matched anywhere on the planet. Then they go out and do their jobs. And they often get shot, and they sometimes get killed.

It is a real eye-opener to compare the behavior of these men and women in uniform to the men and women of our mainstream media. Durant's wife flies to Germany to finally meet her badly injured husband who has just been released from his imprisonment. A Hollywood type cleverly buys the seat next to her, bent on cajoling from her the movie rights to her husband's story. Ah, yes, that's a scene we see portrayed so often on the silver screen--almost as much as the evil business tycoon threatening to destroy the world. And her phone never stops ringing with columnist determined to get the scoop on "how she feels."

The victory lap was also handled extremely well. It is so easy today to become maudlin at the relief of surviving, of coming home, of recovering fully from sever injuries, of rightly being called a hero. Well, nearly everyone involved in this operation was a hero and behaved heroically. And then shut up about it. What a relief to know there still are people like that; what joy to know they are defending our country. Unlike the self-proclaimed media celebrities whose self-importance ego-mania is exceeded only by their incomes. And who have such little air time to waste on people like these a week after they return from defending our country, when they can be talking instead about a much more fascinating subject--themselves.

American Public Support for U.S. Military Operations from Mogadishu to Baghdad

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American Public Support for U.S. Military Operations from Mogadishu to Baghdad
Eric Larson
Manufacturer: RAND Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Strategy | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Selling Intervention and War: The Presidency, the Media, and the American Public
Public Opinion and American Foreign Policy, Revised Edition (Analytical Perspectives on Politics)
Tides of Consent: How Public Opinion Shapes American Politics

ASIN: 0833036726

Book Description

Describes American public opinion toward wars and other large military operations over the last decade.

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Eyes Over Mogadishu
Mike Horan
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

Somalia | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The goal of the book is to educate those who would like to know what Somalia was to those who served there. Most of the veterans of operations there have quietly moved on with their lives after receiving little recognition for their service, while most in the general public only remember the negative aspects of what happened on a single day, 3 October 1993, forgetting the courage shown on that day, and the service of those who came before and after. Eyes Over Mogadishu brings the reader through the whole experience, from preparing for movement, deploying to Mogadishu, and then the return home.

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Shows all involvement.
Buy Black Hawk Down instead...
LTC Robert E. Biller
Somalia e la morte della Americani
Mogadishu

Mogadishu!: Heroism and Tragedy
Kent DeLong , and Steven Tuckey
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

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The Battle of Mogadishu: Firsthand Accounts from the Men of Task Force Ranger
Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War

ASIN: 0275949257

Book Description

Among America's clearest memories of ongoing conflict in Somalia will certainly be the swollen, bloodied face of helicopter pilot Michael Durant, displayed on the international television news reports after his capture in Mogadishu on October 3, 1993. While the failed mission leading to Durant's imprisonment captured the rage and anguish of the world, few Americans truly understood how many U.S. Army Ranger compatriots shared Durant's fortitude and courage there. Indeed, Durant was only one member of the elite Task Force Ranger Regiment deployed to apprehend Mohammed Farrah Aidid, Somailia's most powerful warlord on the fateful October day. Here is the little-known story of the 15 fierce, deadly hours of fighting that followed the Americans tightly calibrated attempt to target Aidid. Moment by moment, Mogahishu! recounts how this mission, intended to deflate the heart of Somali resistance, became instead a tragic showcase for the heroism and breathtaking self-sacrifice of the American servicement--and the catalyst of U.S. withdrawal of peacekeeping troops. Mogadishu! reveals while the operation produced on the most decorated military units in American history, it cost 18 of America's best-trained servicemen their lives. Using rare testimony from other military personnel, Kent DeLong offers the first complete account of how these Americans died, not for glory but for each other, far from their loved ones in a God-forsaken place called Mogadishu.

Customer Reviews:

Shows all involvement........2007-07-08

This book did a good job of getting perspectives from all units involved in the Battle. As a soldier from the 10th Mountain Division it's good to not be just a footnote in the history of that night. Mark Bowden did a good job with Black Hawk Down, but his perspective of things came only from the Speacial Forces Units involved that night. All units involved that night had one hell of a fight.

Buy Black Hawk Down instead..........2004-03-27

I agree with LTC Biller's assessment: this is a poorly written, often contradicting, hastily thrown together work that was obviously published to beat Mr. Bowden's book to the stores. Additionally, it seems that none of the participants that were consulted for Black Hawk Down are interviewed in this publication, and many aren't even mentioned.

Also, the facts about Shughart and Gordon's last stand are entirely inaccurate. Even has who was killed first wrong--it was really Shughart who was the last man standing to defend Crash Site 2.

Do yourself, the facts, and those that perished that day a favor, and purchase Mr. Bowden's excellent work instead and get the whole story, including the events leading up to and following this horrific day.

LTC Robert E. Biller.......2002-02-15

This book has many glaring mistakes and does little to explain why the QRF took a 25 mile long detour to the airfield, deployed out of the same site as the Ranger Convoy, or why the QRF ended up going the wrong way and got into an extraneous fire fight near the Digfer Hospital/Old Russian Embassy. I will address just one glaring inaccuracy. It credits 1SG Dooty of Company C, 2-14th Infantry with rescuing SGT Carroll who was injured in the Quick Reaction Forces initial attempt at rescuing TF Ranger. 1SG Dooty was not there and SGT Carroll was a Specialist that afternoon. 1SG Dooty was about 150 meters up the road with his Company Commander CPT Whetstone. Those who did go out and bring SPC Carroll back were SFC Eddie Ricord (a Special Forces Medic attached to the 2-14th as part of a Civil Affairs Team), 1LT Flaugherty (sp?) (the Battalion Physician's Assistant) and PFC Jackson (a Medic from 2-14th). They applied initial treatment to SPC Carroll and moved him back to the Civil Affairs HUMVEE for transportation. When I read this book I passed tthe copy along to SFC Ricord who of course was incensed that someone else was taking credit for other's work (particulary since 1LT Flaugherty was quoted on the previous page). The authors did little to double check claims of action and took at face value that one interview. This type of investigation tends to lead to unsubstantiated claims and inaccuracies.

Somalia e la morte della Americani.......2001-12-21

This book has too many contradictions, about the people involved. The author (a weekend warrior and an officer no doubt)misleads the reader by giving various titles and positions to people that took part in the events. For example; if CWO Durant was stripped naked of his BDU's, how was it that he was videotaped wearing his BDU Trousers and Brown Undershirt? C'mon. I was in the Army and Infantry, I don't deny the heroics that day but we should'nt have been in Somalia in the first place. If the US does return to Somalia in some trumped up excuse for finding terroists we're in for another (***) whoopin unless we go in loaded for bear.

Mogadishu.......1999-12-26

Very easy to read and actually quite amazing. Most people don't know what happened with these guys and this book did a great job telling the story in a very readable way. Both, my son and I enjoyed this book very much and are awed by the sacrifice of these brave soldiers.

The 2006 Economic and Product Market Databook for Mogadishu, Somalia

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The 2006 Economic and Product Market Databook for Mogadishu, Somalia
Philip M. Parker
Manufacturer: ICON Group International, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Econometrics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0497810379
Release Date: 2006-12-11

Product Description

In performing various economic analyses for its clients, I have occasionally been asked to investigate the market potential for various products and services in Somalia. The purpose of this study is to understand the density of demand within Somalia and the extent to which Mogadishu might be used as a point of distribution within Africa. From an economic perspective, however, Mogadishu does not represent a population within rigid geographical boundaries, rather, it represents an area of dominant influence over markets in adjacent areas. This influence varies from one industry to another, but also from one period of time to another. In what follows, I summarize the economic potential for Mogadishu over the next five years for hundreds of industries, categories and products. The goal of this report is to report the real economic potential, or what an economist calls the latent demand, represented by Mogadishu when defined as an area of dominant influence. The reader needs to realize that latent demand may or may not represent real sales. For many items, latent demand is clearly observable in sales, as in the case for food or housing items. Consider, however, the category "satellite launch vehicles". Clearly, there are no launch pads in Mogadishu used by the space industry to launch satellites. However, the core benefit of the vehicles (e.g. telecommunications, etc.) is "consumed" by the area served by Mogadishu. Without Mogadishu, in other words, the market for satellite launch vehicles would be lower for the population in Somalia, Africa, or the world in general. One needs to allocate, therefore, a portion of the worldwide economic demand for launch vehicles to both Africa and Mogadishu. The data presented are the result of various spatial econometric and time-series forecasting models which, for each category presented, are applied to forecast and allocate demand across all countries of the world and major distribution centers or centers of dominant influence within each country. This is accomplished knowing that economic fundamentals (e.g. income) generally vary from one city to another within a given country over time. In this report, I report the allocation for each category for Mogadishu as an area of dominant influence in Somalia and, potentially, Africa. Important Caveat. Category definitions may overlap. The sum of multiple categories, therefore, may double count.

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