The Only Thing Worth Dying For by Eric Blehm
One of the few stories my father would tell about his service
in World War II was the time his outfit was strafed by “friendly fire” because
they had advanced much farther and faster than had been anticipated. I remember
thinking that communication must have been pretty poor in “the old days” and
that that kind of horrific mistake must of course have been eradicated by the
wonders of modern warfare.
Sadly, as this book relates, that is not the case.
After reading the story of this team of Green Berets who
infiltrated Afghanistan early in the War on Terror, I have a newfound respect
for their bravery but also an enhanced fear of the powers-that-be who are purportedly
running the show. It was shocking to read how poorly informed they were of the
landscape, the people, the politics and even the man (Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s
future leader) they were tasked with protecting. But even worse was the
ultimate human error that led to tragedy amongst these valiant soldiers.
This is not a feel-good book. The title refers to advice
given the platoon leader by his mother: “Following your ideals is the only
thing worth dying for.” Perhaps the reader can take some comfort in that.
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