Gentlemen Bastards: On the Ground in Afghanistan with America's Elite Special Forces
Gentlemen Bastards: On the Ground in Afghanistan with America's Elite Special Forces book cover

Gentlemen Bastards: On the Ground in Afghanistan with America's Elite Special Forces

Paperback – June 4, 2013

Price
$15.14
Format
Paperback
Pages
272
Publisher
Dutton Caliber
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0425253595
Dimensions
5.92 x 0.71 x 8.96 inches
Weight
10.4 ounces

Description

“This story brings to life the unique men who form the ranks of the Green Berets and the Herculean tasks they must accomplish.”—Rusty Bradley, author of Lions of Kandahar “[A] powerful look at Special Forces and the daily grind of tracking down the Taliban, terrorists, and other bad guys in Afghanistan.” —Mitch Weiss, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and critically acclaimed author of Tiger Force and No Way Out “Humorous, stark, and honest, Gentlemen Bastards shows the reality of the war in Afghanistan.” —Nathan Edmondson, author of The Activity Kevin Maurer is an award-winning reporter who covers the military, with a focus on special operations forces. He has been embedded with the U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Africa.xa0His books include the massively successful No Easy Day , the inside story of the Bin Laden raid, co-written with former Navy SEAL Mark Owen.

Features & Highlights

  • From the #1
  • New York Times
  • bestselling co-author of
  • No Easy Day
  • comes an insightful, inside look at the Green Berets—a legendary corps of soldiers whose exploits made military history. But now, its very identity and role as a fighting force may be forever changed.
  • Until the war in Iraq, Special Forces were the military’s counterinsurgency experts. Their specialty was going behind enemy lines and training insurgent forces. In Afghanistan, they toppled the Taliban by transforming Northern Alliance fighters into cohesive units. But since that time, Special Forces units have focused on offensive raids.With time running short, the Green Berets have now gone back to their roots.Award-winning journalist Kevin Maurer traveled with a Special Forces team in Afghanistan, finding out firsthand the inside story of the lives of this elite group of highly trained soldiers. He witnessed the intense brotherhood, the rigorous selection process, and the arduous training that makes them the best on the battlefield. Here, Maurer delivers a compelling account of modern warfare and of a fighting force that is doing everything in its power to achieve victory.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(177)
★★★★
25%
(148)
★★★
15%
(89)
★★
7%
(41)
23%
(135)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

I liked it.

Great to read about the political interaction the SF have with conventional forces and the indigenous population. Might seem boring, but with the A-types in this book, nothing is done half-assed. I like Matt's summary of their duties: "A lot like a [LDS] mission, winning hearts--but with bullets instead of books."
2 people found this helpful
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Could not finish this book

I have read just about every book related to the War on Terror, and this was the only one I didn't finish. I kept trying to, but it was just too boring. This may be a reflection on me more than anything, so take it with a grain of salt.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Great read.

A book you can read more than once. Great read
✓ Verified Purchase

Presents a big picture view of how the war is going from the perspective of people on the ground.

Highlights the effectiveness of the US Army Special Forces as a small unit force that has the very real ability to win hearts & minds if it is allowed to do it's job without interference from regular Army clowns.

It also shows where we are lacking in our understanding of other cultures, and how that lack of understanding makes it far harder to conduct a war in a manner that is conducive to actually winning, vs. just wasting lives & tax payer money.
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don't really get to know the guys and doesn't make us like them. He got a bad bounce on his ...

Nothing happens, don't really get to know the guys and doesn't make us like them. He got a bad bounce on his embed, but should have decided to skip the book and try again!
✓ Verified Purchase

Two Stars

What a snooze fest.
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Great Warriors!

Great book.
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Super book

Great read, loved it!
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Five Stars

Great read. Down to earth and real.
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Five Stars

very interest book. thanks