Ghost Riders of Baghdad

Daniel A Sjursen

ISBN 10: 1611687810 / ISBN 13: 9781611687811

Published by University Press of New England, 2015

About this Item

From October 2006 to December 2007, Daniel A. Sjursen - then a U.S. Army lieutenant - led a light scout platoon across Baghdad. The experiences of Ghost Rider platoon provide a soldier's-eye view of the incredible complexities of warfare, peacekeeping, and counterinsurgency in one of the world's most ancient cities. Sjursen reflects broadly and critically on the prevailing narrative of the surge as savior of America's longest war, on the overall military strategy in Iraq, and on U.S. relations with ordinary Iraqis. And at a time when just a handful of U.S. senators and representatives have a family member in combat, Sjursen writes movingly on questions of America's patterns of national service. Who now serves and why? What connection does America's professional army have to the broader society and culture? What is the price we pay for abandoning the model of the citizen soldier? With the bloody emergence of ISIS in 2014, Iraq and its beleaguered, battle-scarred people are again much in the news. Unlike other books on the U.S. war in Iraq, Ghost Riders of Baghdad is part battlefield chronicle, part critique of American military strategy and policy, and part appreciation of Iraq and its people. At once a military memoir, synthetic history, and cultural commentary, Ghost Riders of Bahdad delivers a compelling story and a deep appreciation of both those who serve and the civilians they strive to protect. Sjursen provides a riveting addition to our understanding of modern warfare and its human costs.

Seller Inventory # 00102232746

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Ghost Riders of Baghdad
• Publisher: University Press of New England
• Publication Date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1611687810
• ISBN 13: 9781611687811
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: Good

About this title

Synopsis

From October 2006 to December 2007, Daniel A. Sjursen―then a U.S. Army lieutenant―led a light scout platoon across Baghdad. The experiences of Ghost Rider platoon provide a soldier’s-eye view of the incredible complexities of warfare, peacekeeping, and counterinsurgency in one of the world’s most ancient cities. Sjursen reflects broadly and critically on the prevailing narrative of the surge as savior of America’s longest war, on the overall military strategy in Iraq, and on U.S. relations with ordinary Iraqis. At a time when just a handful of U.S. senators and representatives have a family member in combat, Sjursen also writes movingly on questions of America’s patterns of national service. Who now serves and why? What connection does America’s professional army have to the broader society and culture? What is the price we pay for abandoning the model of the citizen soldier? With the bloody emergence of ISIS in 2014, Iraq and its beleaguered, battle-scarred people are again much in the news. Unlike other books on the U.S. war in Iraq, Ghost Riders of Baghdad is part battlefield chronicle, part critique of American military strategy and policy, and part appreciation of Iraq and its people. At once a military memoir, history, and cultural commentary, Ghost Riders of Bahdad delivers a compelling story and a deep appreciation of both those who serve and the civilians they strive to protect. Sjursen provides a riveting addition to our understanding of modern warfare and its human costs.

About the Author

MAJOR DANIEL A. SJURSEN was born and raised in Staten Island, New York. A 2005 graduate of West Point, he has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Kansas and is pursuing a doctorate in history while teaching at West Point.