Download Gentlemen Bastards: On the Ground in Afghanistan with America's Elite Special Forces AudioBook Free
Before war in Iraq, the 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 in the almost nine years since, Special Forces units have forgone their previous mission, instead focusing on offensive raids. As time passes running short, the Green Berets 're going back to their roots and also have started to focus on training Afghan security forces and building an Afghan government one village at a time. Award-winning journalist Kevin Maurer traveled with a particular Forces team in Afghanistan, learning firsthand the inside story of the lives of the elite band of experienced soldiers. He witnessed the extreme brotherhood built after the Special Forces' rigorous selection process and arduous training that makes them the smartest soldiers on the battlefield. He also uncovered the boredom of chasing an elusive enemy and managing third world cops and the infighting that occurs between teammates and other units. Nine years following the start of Afghan war, Maurer gives a compelling account of modern warfare and of a fighting force that is doing everything in its capacity to achieve victory on the complex 21st-century battlefield.
