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.
Contributors: Gil Barndollar - Dan Berschinski - Joy Damiani - Daniel
L. Davis - Jason Dempsey - Erik Edstrom - Vincent Emanuele - Gian
Gentile - Matthew P. Hoh - Jonathan W. Hutto, Sr. - Buddhika Jayamaha
- Roy Scranton - Kevin Tillman - Elliott Woods - Paul Yingling