Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge

Sjursen, Daniel A.

ISBN 10: 1611687810 / ISBN 13: 9781611687811

Published by ForeEdge, 2015

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Seller Inventory # 77B36_77_1611687810

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Ghost Riders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge
• Publisher: ForeEdge
• Publication Date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1611687810
• ISBN 13: 9781611687811
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: new

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.