The epub and mobi files are in the dropbox. Audio is on hold, but with the movie coming out, it's popular right now, and may take more than a month to get in.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
February Book: Lone Survivor
It appears that there has been a mass of confusion at the start of this year. The real book for February, as chosen by Cindy, is Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell.
The epub and mobi files are in the dropbox. Audio is on hold, but with the movie coming out, it's popular right now, and may take more than a month to get in.
The epub and mobi files are in the dropbox. Audio is on hold, but with the movie coming out, it's popular right now, and may take more than a month to get in.
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epub and mobi files are in the dropbox.
ReplyDeleteSo, this is another one of those where the title gives away the ending. Like Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
ReplyDeleteSo far I'm finding this guy ethnocentric, myopic, and generally ignorant. It's sort of surprising that he can spend this much time whining about how unfair it is that he's not allowed to kill civilians, and then wonder why nobody trusts him to make unilateral combat decisions.
ReplyDeleteI thought the story was interesting. In response to Tanya's comment, I think that in the moment of the decision, he and the others made the decision that was right and that most everyone would agree was right. But there was fallout from the decision, and in retrospect, he believes he made the wrong decision, because of what happened to him and his team.
ReplyDeleteWhich brings up the question: If doing something is right but the consequences cost you personally, are you still willing to do the right thing? I would say, that had he known the end from the beginning, he would have changed his decision to not kill the civilians. But it still would have been the wrong decision.
I think about it in reverse; what if some strike force from Afghanistan or Russia or Mali came to the U.S., and in the process of accomplishing some mission against a military target, they killed some civilians who unsuspectingly got in the way? What would we think then? Of course, we balk at anyone attacking even military targets here. But if civilians were killed, as well, we would call it a war crime, under the Geneva Conventions.
It still would have been a war crime in Afghanistan, and so, though the outcome for the soldiers was bad, I still think the decision to let them live was the right one. In my book, there's a big difference between casualties of war and murder. The soldiers may have lost their lives in the conflict, but they did not commit murder, and I believe that makes all the difference.
Also, the insight into the Pashtun tribes was very interesting. We sometimes fail to realize that the Pashtun are the descendants of the same Caucasian ancestors as most westerners, but they're the ones who are still living pretty close to the original homeland. The basis for their culture, their definitions of civility, courtesy, freedom, defense, etc., spring from the same source as ours.
DeleteI really, really enjoyed this book. What amazing men we have in our military! It is incredible what they have to do through to become a member of the elite squads. What amazing strength, bravery and endurance they had! It's been a while since I read that book and I thought I had written my comments about it, but I guess not. anyway,it was a great book and made me so grateful for the country we live in, and the amazing men and women who defend it. Great book!
ReplyDelete