American Spartan
The Promise, the Mission, and the Betrayal of Special Forces Major Jim Gant
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American Spartan
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Narrated by:
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Cassandra Campbell
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Danny Campbell
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By:
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Ann Scott Tyson
About this listen
Lawrence of Arabia meets Sebastian Junger's War in this unique, incendiary, and dramatic true story of heroism and heartbreak in Afghanistan written by a Pulitzer Prize-nominated war correspondent.
Some have called him "Lawrence of Afghanistan". To the Pashtun tribesmen he is "Commander Jim", leader of the "bearded ones". He is Army Special Forces Major Jim Gant, one of the most charismatic and controversial U.S. commanders of modern memory, a man who changed the face of America's war in Afghanistan when his critical white paper, "One Tribe at a Time", went viral at the Pentagon, the White House, and on Capitol Hill in 2009.
A decorated Green Beret who had spent years training indigenous fighters, Jim argued for embedding autonomous units with tribes across Afghanistan: these American soldiers would live among Afghans for extended periods, not only to train and equip tribal militias, but to fight - and even die - alongside them in battle. He argued that we could earn the trust of the Afghans and transform them into a reliable ally with whom we could defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda networks. The military's top brass, including General David Petraeus, then commander of U.S. Central Command and overseeing the war in Afghanistan, and Admiral Eric Olson, head of Special Operations Command, approved the plan and gave Jim the go-ahead to embark on the mission.
p>A war story like no other, an unprecedented account of a warrior who took up the cause of villagers as if it were his own, and of a woman on the front lines of a distant war, American Spartan is an unforgettable tale - and one of the most remarkable and emotionally resonant narratives of war ever published. ©2014 Ann Scott Tyson (P)2014 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about American Spartan
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Stoo Zaraki
- 16-02-21
A conflict that leaves you conflicted
Without spoiling the content its evident that individuals have their share of the blame to carry for their actions. I find it hard to find sympathy for the action committed that was flagrant breach of protocol. However , this does not mean I think how individuals were treated was proportionate or reflects well on the chain of command.
Its also evident that the US military is woefully incompetent in spotting burnout, PTSD, petty senior officers and those wishing to make a name for themselves. Alot of what transpired should have and could have been mitigated by better senior leadership.
I came away from this with equal amounts of respect, admiration and disappointment. Its a fascinating story of a modern day Lawrence of Arabia. Credit to the author for not trying to palm of the individual responsibility of those involved. At no point do they attempt to obfuscate the culpability.
Betrayal though, no. I think this is too strong a term in these circumstances . If you give your enemy an opening do not be surprised when they take it. Its fair to say that Gants actions made himself vulnerable. Its also fair to say he was already compromised emotionally and physically before his last tour and this should have been picked up on before deployment. This does not mean he wasn't a great soldier and leader just that he was compromised.
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