Customer Reviews

The Hunt for Bin Laden: Task Force Dagger

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(37)

 

 

The members of the SFOD-A that I served with during my first tour in Afghanistan and I are absolutely amazed this passed any factual quality control check. It reads as if it were written at a corner table in the Green Beret Club at Ft. Bragg by people who weren't there, interspersed with details by someone who heard something from someone else who said he was there. The account of Tora Bora was absolutely laughable; the pictures and the tale that was told was akin to having someone who landed on Normandy Beach on 6 JULY 1944 (a month later) give his account of an assault he did not participate in. Critical parts of Operation Anaconda were omitted. Contrary to the content of this work, those who wear a green beret are not instantly contemptous of those who do not; those are our roots where we first learned to soldier. The book's incessant recounting of petty inter-service and rank-conscious jealousies distort the reality of the sheer effort involved by all of those involved in prosecuting the fight in the early days of the war. The theme of "swaggering barrel-chested freedom fighters fight valiantly yet alone to overcome the juggernaut military bureaucracy" is so far off the mark as to make this whole story read like a comic book. He tries and fails time and again to draw logical comparisons between the Special Forces experience in Vietnam and Afghanistan, two different times, places, missions, and national moods.

Robin Moore is a fine man who has given much as an author to the history of our branch. This was not his best effort.

This book is best used as a beverage coaster, placed under the cold drinks of those who were actually there while they recall the deeds of others, their frustrations, and the pride of their service. For those who weren't there, this book is best used at the beach to keep the sand off your suntan oil botle while you read light fiction that is truthfully advertised as such.

Maybe when the time is right, those with their egos in check can gather and tell their fellow citizens the truth -- a far more interesting history than this fantasy.

The sheer potential of this book makes it extremely seductive -- it is an account of the Green Beret "A" teams in action in Afghanistan in 2001, written by the author of the first book about the Green Berets way back in 1965. At first glance, it's easy to believe that this might be the definitive early work about war in the post-September 11th world.

But as they say, you should never judge a book by its cover, and there's no better example of that maxim than this incredibly uneven and deceiving book.

I have to say I am grateful to the many cautionary reviews here. They helped soften the blows of aggravation and disappointment early on in the reading, as I learned where the book's center of balance was.

By any reasonable standard, this book is sketchily researched and often very poorly written. In my opinion, the quality of writing in this book would score low marks in any reputable high school. Sources and quotations are almost nonexistent in the text (and lazily compiled in the appendices), and there isn't a single corroborative interview acknowledged. There appear to be no first-hand accounts of enemy engagements shared directly with the author for his book. Battle descriptions are so unreliable that it's impossible to trust the veracity of any of the reports.

The book contains so much hearsay that if the manuscript had ever darkened the desk of a professional fact-checker, it's probable it would never have made it to press. Moore (or his ghostwriter, perhaps) uses extremely declarative language that makes it read more like the adrenaline-charged propaganda of a military pulp novel than anything even remotely resembling journalism.

This cannot possibly be considered an unbiased examination of the war in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan war deserves first-class treatment from a professional writer, and unfortunately this is not an example. It reads more like a personal memoir of news reports from the period rather than a direct piece of history. It is arguably the worst-written book I have ever read, and it merits the only one-star review I have ever written on Amazon to this date. Just say no.

This work is a largely fictionalized account fabricated by a fellow named "Jack" Idema (identified in the text's forward as "an anonymous Green Beret") who was advertising his services as an "Ex-Special Forces operative" (he had in fact had an undistinguished career as a common, non-SF soldier) to unsuspecting journalists and authors during the U.S.'s initial foray into Afghanistan. He managed to lie his way into the country by tagging along on a National Geographic documentary. Then, after being found out and fired, he peddled his story to Northern Alliance leaders. He is notorious for selling CBS and 60 Minutes II a fake "Al Qaeda training video" as well. Unfortunately, he duped the well-respected (but aging at 70) Robin Moore and co-author Chris Thompson (uncredited) into believing he was the genuine article.

Unfortunately, Idema's fictions permeate the work from the very first chapter describing the insertion of the Special Forces operatives. The book gives a dynamic and interesting account of the team facing overhead RPGs and gunfire. In reality, the group landed at night and were welcomed by the CIA advance team (including Mike Spann). They set to work unpacking their gear, and the rest of the night passed without incident. No gunfire. No drama. The air force controller portrayed as the protagonist in this chapter, Matt, says he didn't fly in until days after the rest of the group.

Most of the Special Forces members featured in the work, as well as writer Robert Young Pelton (also featured), have publicly decried the book as a falsification of the facts.

All of this info only came out after the book had been published and reviewed by Soldier of Fortune. Once it did, Idema was publicly condemned by Robin Moore himself, as well as Soldier of Fortune's Kim & Bob Morris, Billy Waugh (70 year old leader of Task Force 11 and veteran paramilitary), Ed Artis, and Chris Thompson. Once found out, Idema was sentenced to five year imprisonment in Afghanistan. Since then, the book's credited author, Robin Moore, has distanced himself from the work.

The real story of the early days on the ground is quite intriguing, but you'll have to read a different book for the true account of Task Force 11 and Task Force 121.

Incidentally, the fellow pictured between the two Afghanis on the cover is Jack Idema himself. Note, he's best known for firing that AK47 at a journalist who called him out. No word on whether or not he actually ever fired it at any Taliban irregulars.

Absolutely detailed and informing, but nothing like the Green Berets Robin had greater success with, as far as taking in the reader. I actually hated reading this, not since Robin has put a excellent piece together, but because this book reveals what an ugly situation Bin laden has created. As I read this, digging through all the channels from 911 to the current, I now am thoroughly disgusted with what sacrifice and drudgery many have had to travail to catch up with Laden, not to mention the acts of terror. I wonder how much Robin had to put up with in bringing us this information which I cant imagine being any more complete anywhere. If you want to know, it is very descriptive in this incredible account that is also unbiased hard fact. I would hope another book follows up on this, I hope Robin writes it. I say yes and recommend this along with SB or God by Karl Maddox that goes into a probable and realistic war in this region to include Iraq.

The author is faced with a chance to write the story as it actually happened and Mr. Moore lost that opportunity. Now this book will forever be known as a complete work of fiction by those of us who were there, conducted the operations and then interviewed by Robin Moore as to what happened. Venturing too far off the path of validity was perhaps due in part to his "buddy" Jack Idema, who is referenced far too much throughout the book. Mr Idema is a compelete work of something else, just google search the name. In short, disappointing is too nice a word for the effort.

I read this book on a plane a couple of years back and am only reviewing it now because I've now learned that most of the story was totally concocted. I just finished Robert Young Pelton's Licensed to Kill, which details how "Jack" Idema--an ex-con who went to Afghanistan to track down OBL--fabricated most of this story, was able to trick the authors into believing that he was ex-SF, and profited from his outrageous, totally inaccurate story. It wasn't much of a book to begin with--way over the top--but the story behind it is pretty amazing.

I would recommend Licensed to Kill if you're interested in what happened to "Jack" Idema. If you actually want to read about the Afghanistan campaign look at Masters of Chaos, First In, Down Range, and Not a Good Day to Die.

Do not buy this book.

"He who toots not his own horn, the same shall go untooted." This round of fraternal applause for the Green Berets, a lauding of their military feats, their humanitarian aid to the Afghani people, and their cocksure deadliness, is a great first telling of the army's special forces in the Afghanistan war. In this telling, the job that the SF teams did in equipping, uniting, and marshalling the ragtag and mutually hostile NA armies was nothing short of a Special Operations clinic. The battle scenes are savagely vivid, and unapologetic in the satisfaction the operators took in eliminating the terrorists and the Taliban fighters.

It's interesting to get the fighters' take on some issues which played quite differently in the press. According to the Green Berets that Moore interviewed, "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh was no little boy lost, but a committed Al-Qaeda terrorist, who probably helped torture and kill CIA prisoner Mike Spann. And there's an amusing bit about how the operators came close to drawing straws to see who got to punch out the clownish Fox News correspondent, Geraldo Rivera.

It's sad to read of incidents which indicate that the regular Army brass still doesn't "get" the idea of unconventional warfare. The Green Berets teams here were urged not to outfight Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, although they could if they had to, but more to outthink them, which they for the most part did. Yet, chary of taking casualties, the top command reined in the SF at crucial moments, even though the soldiers were completely willing to give their lives to bag the top terrorists. Hence, according to Moore, the fiasco at Tora Bora.

Things go less than swimmingly in places, such as in the Northern Alliance faction of the priapic megalomaniac General Naderi. Also, the unnamed team that went into Tora Bora did not bond well with the mujahedin, committing many social fauxes pas, which may have helped Bin Laden to escape.

Delta Force, the Navy SEALS, and the British and Australian SAS were of course in this fight, too. But this book makes it sound like the Green Berets were the whole show on the ground, with those other forces reduced to walk-on roles. And that indeed may have been the case, who knows. But it's hard to argue with the results: The Taliban ousted and al-Qaeda severely punished and an embryonic democracy installed within scant weeks of 9/11. One can only hope that the example set by the performance of the Green Berets in this war will be heeded by Pentagon planners in future wars--and by America's enemies.

This is an excellent book, one that I think many years from now will still be referenced as providing a great insight on the beginning of the war on terror.

The overriding thing that one gets from this book is an overwhelming appreciation for the special forces: their skills in combat and outside of combat, their intelligence and dogged persistence and their unmatched courage. The fact that they were able to work with the muj of the Northern Alliance, ferocious warriors in their own right, is a credit to the special forces ability to assimilate themselves into the culture of Afganistan. The fact that they were able to gain the respect of many muj cannot be overstated as a key point of importance in aiding the success of the operation.

The description of the conflict between the regular armed forces and the special services and how, perhaps, bin Laden and Omar were inadvertedly permitted to flee, is frustrating but also educational as well. It also should remind anyone that speaking of "the armed services" as one vast monolith is pointless.

This is a great book by an author, Robin Moore, than has proven himself to a skilled writer, fiercely devoted to the Green Berets that he has always written so fondly of.

This book can be looked at as either an historical piece about the war in Afghanistan or a Special Forces propaganda piece written by Mr. Moore who is unabashedly, unashamedly and unapologetically a major booster of the green berets.

The distinction is needless, as the historical account of what the green berets accomplished in that war naturally extols their virtues as amazing fighting men.

The first 50 pages grabbed me unlike any other historical account I can recall. It read like an exciting war novel. The book bogged down a tad as each special forces team's campaign was related. Several were so similar I am not sure why they were accounted for separately except that Mr. Moore wanted to give all the credit where it was due.

Beyond the straight historical account, this book presented a valuable and thought-provoking look at special forces' type of unconventional warfare versus conventional warfare. I do not think Mr. Moore will be invited to Gen. Tommie Franks' house for dinner very soon as he repeatedly rips the general for old-fashioned bureaucratic laden warfare strategy.

That Mr. Moore knows his subject is obvious. What warms the historical account is that he also knows the people involved. The added personal descriptions and anecdotes added much to the book.

As we approach a war in Iraq, this book left me with mixed feelings about our prospects there. On the one hand, a reader could only have confidence in our fighting men and women if the special forces "dogs of war" are let loose. On the other hand, one is left to wonder about the effectiveness of our conventional forces. As Mr. Moore extolled the virtue of the special forces in Afghanistan and pointed out the short-comings of the conventional forces there - including how they screwed up (I cleaned up Mr. Moore's language there) the only operation in which they participated, I wished he addressed where - if anywhere -he thought the more conventional forces would be an asset.

This book is a wonderful account of truly great American warriors, a thoroughly entertaining read and more thought-provoking than one would have thought at the outset. I strongly recommend it.

Having been involved with some of the events covered in this book, being written about by the author, knowing some of the people mentioned and discussing their reaction to the this book I can tell any potential readers the following:

- Large parts of this book have been completely made up or events fictionalized to make it more exciting or salable. For example the opening chapter which is designed to set the tone of the book is a complete work of fiction. Simple events have had entire firefights, dialog and descriptions made up to make them more "exciting"

-There are numerous factual mistakes, wrong dates, places, times, dialog etc. All designed to create a sense of cinematic saleability and cartoon purpose. It appears that the author abused army acess to slap together a mish mash of ridiculous dialog, part truths and some bizarre personal agenda.

- The book appears to be actually ghost written by the person featured on the cover, who is neither a special forces operator or working in any military capacity for the US government. He is a convicted felon and persona non grata in the media with a history of litigation. My guess is the aging Robin Moore has been terribly used. It appears from the author's web site that Edema plans a series of books about himself and his exploits.

- Some of the military men covered in this book are angered by his fictionalizing a campaign that needs no exageration or fiction to make it riveting. Moore blindly goes along promoting his book (with help from Edema) not realizing he is insulting the Special Forces and their families by fabricating their exploits.

- I would suggest people do a web search for "Keith Edema", read more accurate...accounts of these historic events and avoid furthering this gentleman's dubious career of exploiting and falsifiying the stories of well intentioned serving soldiers.

It is a shame that this book is allowed to be sold as non-fiction or has not been removed from the shelves due to its [inaccurate] content.