American Spartan
The Promise, the Mission, and the Betrayal of Special Forces Major Jim Gant
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 30 days of Premium Plus free
Buy Now for £16.99
-
Narrated by:
-
Cassandra Campbell
-
Danny Campbell
-
By:
-
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.
Army Special Forces Major Jim Gant changed the face of America’s war effort in Afghanistan. A decorated Green Beret who spent years in Afghanistan and Iraq training indigenous fighters, Gant argued for embedding autonomous units with tribes across Afghanistan to earn the Afghans’ trust and transform them into a reliable ally with whom we could defeat the Taliban and counter al-Qaeda networks. The military's top brass, including General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, approved, and Gant was tasked with implementing his controversial strategy.
Veteran war correspondent Ann Scott Tyson first spoke with Gant when he was awarded the Silver Star in 2007. Tyson soon came to share Gant’s vision, so she accompanied him to Afghanistan, risking her life to embed with the tribes and chronicle their experience. And then they fell in love.
Illustrated with dozens of photographs, American Spartan is their remarkable story—one of the most riveting, emotional narratives of wartime ever published.
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.
A conflict that leaves you conflicted
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.