Paths of Dissent - Soldiers Speak Out Against America's Misguided Wars

American veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan offer invaluable firsthand perspectives on what made America's post-9/11 wars so costly and disastrous.

Twenty years of America's Global War on Terror produced little tangible success while exacting enormous harm. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States sustained tens of thousands of casualties, expended trillions of dollars, and inflicted massive suffering on the very populations that we sought to "liberate." Now the inclination to forget it all and move on is palpable. But there is much to be learned from the immense debacle. And those who served and fought in these wars are best positioned to teach us.

Paths of Dissent collects fifteen original essays from American veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan-hailing from a wide range of services, ranks, and walks of life-who have come out in opposition to these conflicts. Selected for their candor and eloquence by fellow veterans Andrew Bacevich and Daniel Sjursen, these soldiers vividly describe both their motivations for serving and the disillusionment that made them speak out against the system. Their testimony is crucial for understanding just how the world's self-proclaimed greatest military power went so badly astray.

List of contents

Introduction: Reflections on Military Dissent
Andrew Bacevich

As American as It Gets
Erik Edstrom

How I Got My Humanity Back from the Army
Joy Damiani

A Fresh Purpose
Dan Berschinski

Going Public with the Truth
Daniel L. Davis

What Good Is Dissent?
Roy Scranton

When Grunts Complain
Buddhika Jayamaha

The Accountability-Avoidance Two-Step
Jason Dempsey

From the Rust Belt to Mesopotamia
Vincent Emanuele

Candor and Intolerance
Paul Yingling

A Sailor's Story
Jonathan W. Hutto Sr.

Reclaiming My Morality
Matthew P. Hoh

Truth, Lies, and Propaganda
Kevin Tillman

What I Learned in Baghdad
Gian Gentile

My Good War
Gil Barndollar

From Soldier to Witness
Elliott Woods

Conclusion: The Price of Free Pizza
Andrew Bacevich

Acknowledgments
About the Contributors

About the author

Andrew Bacevich and Daniel A. Sjursen

Summary

American veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan offer invaluable firsthand perspectives on what made America’s post-9/11 wars so costly and disastrous.

Product details

• Authors: Andrew Bacevich, Daniel A. Sjursen, Sjursen Daniel A.
• Assisted by: Andrew Bacevich (Editor), Daniel A Sjursen (Editor), Daniel A. Sjursen (Editor)
• Publisher: Harper Collins
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.08.2023
• EAN: 9781250832498
• ISBN: 978-1-250-83249-8
• No. of pages: 304
• Dimensions: 126 mm x 22 mm x 204 mm
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political administration; BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Military, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Political, Biography: historical, political & military, HISTORY / Military / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, military history, HISTORY / Military / Veterans, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Public Policy / Military Policy, Warfare & defence, Political science & theory, Warfare and defence, Political science and theory, Military veterans, Central / national / federal government policies, Biography: historical, political and military, Central government policies