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Wrong Turn: America’s Deadly Embrace of Counterinsurgency Hardcover – August 1, 2013

by Colonel Gian Gentile (Author)
4 out of 5 stars 23 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 208 pages
  • Publisher: The New Press (August 1, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1595588744
  • ISBN-13: 978-1595588746
  • Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.8 x 8.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #625,139 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsRefreshing, Passionate, Well Reasoned Account
By Writing Historian on July 18, 2013
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
As I read this book, I wondered about COL Gentile's motives for writing it. Whether I am right or wrong, it seemed to me that as a professional historian and professional soldier he distinctly does not like cookie-cutter explanations of why events turned out the way they did in Iraq and why they have turned out the way they did in past counter-insurgencies (which some analysts point to as the reason why COIN "worked" in Iraq). The twisting of the truth about past events, which is designed to "sell" counterinsurgency as the wonder recipe for success in past conflicts is clearly repugnant to the author. I also do not think that he cares to be lumped into the "pre-Petraeus" U.S. military in Iraq which, according to some, obviously did not do things in an "enlightened manner." I guess soldiers who fought in North Africa wouldn't like being lumped into the "they were inexperienced and got their butts kicked by the Germans" category either, though I make that comparison only in an illustrative sense.

This slim volume is organized with a preface entitled "A Personal Note - the Hell of Baghdad," an introduction entitled "The Conceit of American Counterinsurgency," five chapters (each about 25 - 30 pages) respectively - 1.) The Construction of the Counterinsurgency Narrative, 2.) Malaya: The Foundation of the Counterinsurgency Narrative, 3.) Vietnam: The First Better War That Wasn't, 4.) Iraq: A Better War, Version 2, 5.) Afghanistan: Another Better War That Wasn't and an afterword entitled "Truth is the Casualty of COIN." Notes on sources begin on page 142, with "Notes" on p. 145 and the index starting on page 181.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsMoral Courage
By Bing West on July 16, 2013
Format: Hardcover
Within the ranks of the US Army, many myths about the efficacy of liberal counterinsurgency - building nations rather than destroying the insurgencies - have grown into conventional wisdom. Colonel Gentile, US Army, has been at the forefront of clear-eyed historians challenging the belief that the US military should be the lead agency in nation-building without any control over the military and political leaders of the host nations. To its credit, West Point has encouraged the analysis of different points of view, such as Gentile's.

(Full disclosure: I know Col. Gentile, have observed him as a commander in battle and believe his critique of nation-building as a core mission and competency of the Army and Marines is correct.0

Gentile writes in a refreshing, candid, no-sugar-added style. He tends toward the outrageous, (compared to the standard anodyne doctrinal texts) His basic thesis is that counterinsurgency is a bottom-up process that begins with explaining to a squad leader what his task is. Instead, Gentile points out that generals concocted liberal but cock-eyed theories, like "you can't win a war by killing people" and "dollars are bullets."
Gentile systematically critiques one high-level bromide after another, leaving the reader to ask: how did we ever convince ourselves for a decade that nation-building by corporals would work under host nation leadership whose behavior abetted the insurgents?

A fast, intellectually-challenging read that pulls no punches. Gentile and West Point have demonstrated moral courage in challenging conventional wisdom.
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5.0 out of 5 starsA must-read for those interested in military strategy or geo-politics
By Brian Baker VINE VOICE on August 24, 2013
Format: Hardcover
Frankly, I'm amazed that a book so analytically critical of current military strategic doctrine was published by a career Army officer still serving on active duty. Colonel Gentile is a courageous man for doing so, and knowing the Army as I do - I was raised as a military brat and spent three years on active duty myself - I'd guess that his chances of further promotion are probably pretty much nil.

I salute him for doing so.

Further, I think his book is completely correct in its historical foundation, analysis, and conclusions.

Gentile assesses the evolution of our current doctrine of "nation-building" from its roots in the Vietnam War to our present Middle East policies. Essentially, according to Gentile, it's a transition from the pre-Vietnam idea of war as an all-out effort to secure decisive victory-at-arms to one of contained and limited application of military force in order to promote and secure a political victory. This new strategy is rooted in the idea that an indigenous population that isn't directly threatened by the enemy's military forces will naturally coalesce around our own military, and the host nation we're supporting, due to some inherent human quality that naturally yearns for freedom and democracy. In essence, we're now fighting defensive wars.

Gentile is correct, in my opinion, in his assessment that this idea is fundamentally and fatally flawed; that there is no such inherent human quality; that history, in fact, clearly illustrates the very opposite; that we as a country are refusing to learn those lessons of history; and that because of those issues our current strategy of "nation-building" is doomed to failure.Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 starsIt will jump start your mind

This is a good book. It is a really short book. The author attacks the principle of counter insurgency. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Thomas M. Magee
4.0 out of 5 starsInteresting, well-written, persuasive.

Colonel Gentile's title says it all. Colonel Gentile's argument is this: counterinsurgency's effectiveness is a myth; this myth is founded on writings by military officers of... Read more

Published 3 months ago by olemikey
4.0 out of 5 starsEmperors, Clothes...

Essentially an argument that armed nation-building takes far longer, and is much more expensive in terms of blood and treasure, than the proponents of armed nation-building would... Read more

Published 4 months ago by Mark on Amazon
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

GREAT BACK GROUND INFORMATION

Published 7 months ago by GERARD LA TOURNERIE
1.0 out of 5 starsa very intresting book colonel gentile is a brave man ...

a very intresting book colonel gentile is a brave man who is not hesitate to sweem against the stream.
natan

Published 11 months ago by natan faiglis
5.0 out of 5 starsCOIN tossed

This exceptionally well written book should put an end to any debate as to whether, or not, COIN, counter-insurgency, is a viable, or successful, military strategy. Read more

Published 13 months ago by Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Wonderfully written and argued while sadly at the cost of U.S lives and treasure - sidelined.

Published 14 months ago by Robert J. Alberts
5.0 out of 5 starsRoad to Victory, or Road to Ruin? The paradox of COIN

An excellent companion work to Porch"s COUNTERINSURGENCY. Both authors use history to conjecture about the folly of allowing COIN to supplant conventional strategic thought. Read more

Published 16 months ago by Motown
4.0 out of 5 starsSurprisingly good

Better than expected. I thought Gentile would come at this subject with the normal "big Army" bias, i.e. Read more

Published 18 months ago by The F7 Pawn
4.0 out of 5 starsA great read. I can't go into specifics like some ...

A great read. I can't go into specifics like some of the other more experienced reviewers, but since the U.S. Read more

Published 19 months ago by Customer in Ohio

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