The Only Thing Worth Dying For by Eric Blehm

The Only Thing Worth Dying for is a true story that chronicles the mission of the first Special Forces Unit to hit ground in Afghanistan in 2001. This enthralling narrative is very well written and does not beat around the bush about what those brave men did over there.

The unit was dropped deep into enemy terrority in order to protect the leader of the rebellion against the Taliban in Afghanistan. This man, Hamid Karzai, would go on to become the President of Afghanistan, winning the support of the majority of the country due - in part - to the efforts of these Soldiers.

It is also a sad story about how machoism and eagerness to "get a part of the action" on the part of some service members and military leaders can lead to tragedy. It plays well to the idea that each member of the armed forces has a specific role and that they should stick to their own job (however benign it might seem) rather than try to take over the job of someone else who is better qualified (whether they be of a higher or lower rank). This book should be on the must-read list for any person in a leadership position, not only in the military but in any organization.

The Only Thing Worth Dying For is also a must-read for anyone who is oppossed to the war in Afghanistan and thinks that we do not make a difference over there. We have made a difference already, and we continue to do so.

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And if you read it, let me know what you think.

The Only Thing Worth Dying For: How Eleven Green Berets Forged a New Afghanistan