The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America's War in Afghanistan

( 22 )

Overview


In June 2010, Michael Hastings published an article in Rolling Stone that made headlines around the world: In "The Runaway General," he reported on a week he spent in Europe with General Stanley McChrystal, the revered soldier in charge of the war in Afghanistan.McChrystal and his staff's unguarded remarks about the White House, our allies and the conduct of the war led President Obama to order McChrystal to the Oval Office, where he was fired unceremoniously. While Hastings' reporting won him a prestigious Polk...
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The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America's War in Afghanistan

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More About This Book

Overview


In June 2010, Michael Hastings published an article in Rolling Stone that made headlines around the world: In "The Runaway General," he reported on a week he spent in Europe with General Stanley McChrystal, the revered soldier in charge of the war in Afghanistan.McChrystal and his staff's unguarded remarks about the White House, our allies and the conduct of the war led President Obama to order McChrystal to the Oval Office, where he was fired unceremoniously. While Hastings' reporting won him a prestigious Polk award and led to two Pentagon investigations, there is much more to his story than the indiscretions of Stanley McChrystal.In The Operators, Hastings, formerly the Baghdad bureau chief for Newsweek, takes the listener behind the diplomatic façades to paint a picture of nation-building gone awry. Hastings also takes us on patrol missions in Afghanistan, where he is embedded with American troops, and witnesses firsthand the madness, horror, and existential contradictions of Afghanistan. The Operators combines the acute reportage of a Sebastian Junger with the mad energy of a Michael Herr—it is the painful, powerful tale of a war that can never and will never be won.
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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

In June 2010, journalist Michael Hastings broke the gathering media silence about the conflict in Afghanistan with his stunning Rolling Stone article "The Runaway General." This detailed-packed piece not only set off a storm of controversy; it eventually led to the resignation of General Stanley McChyrstal. In The Operators, Hastings explores the planning and conduct of this long-fought war. In exclusive, behind-the-scenes reportage from Afghanistan, Europe, the Middle East, and Washington, he probes beneath the surface of official statements and public platitudes. Certain to make its own headlines.

Publishers Weekly
Starred Review.

Hastings (I Lost My Love in Baghdad: A Modern War Story) recounts the events behind and beyond his award-winning 2010 Rolling Stone article "The Runaway General," which led to the resignation of General Stanley McChrystal and his replacement with General David Petraeus. Trailing McChrystal and his staff as they travel to Paris, Berlin, and Kabul, Hastings discovers how the nation's foremost "operators"-the special forces and other personnel on "the X...the spot on the satellite map where the action goes down"-regard the war as secondary to their loyalty to each other. Cavalier remarks about key figures and incidents ranging from the infamous cover-up of the cause of Pat Tillman's death to scenes with President Obama reveal the essential divide between military and civilian perspectives. Hastings brilliantly intertwines narratives, whether writing about the halls of Washington, war-torn Baghdad, or rudimentary lessons in counterinsurgency math, a system wherein killing two of ten results not in eight, but twenty insurgents. Hasting's first-class, engrossing reportage reveals unsettling yet human flaws behind one of recent history's most lionized military figures, and a war which purportedly began as a response to terrorism, but whose aims-in the author's estimation-remain ambiguous.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Reviews
War correspondent Hastings vividly recounts his explosive 2010 Rolling Stone article that got Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal drummed out of Afghanistan. McChrystal's unchecked remarks caused his firing, but things might have gone down differently if the general had taken a lesson from Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous. It happened in the spring of 2010 during a European trip the general made to bolster sagging support for the war. Hastings was invited along. The premise of the movie--a promising band experiences their downfall after the Rolling Stone reporter they accept into their circle writes an unflattering (though accurate) story about them--perfectly mirrors the situation in which McChrystal and his entourage would become embroiled. Like Almost Famous, Hastings' astute war memoir is pitch-perfect in demonstrating the challenges that all diligent journalists face. If someone isn't actively working hard to shut you down, they're busy trying to co-opt you. In this case, a certified war hero and his hotshot staff were too confident in their ability to woo a puff piece out of a young writer. The author's frank discussion of these subtler forms of coercion, continuously employed to undermine accurate reporting, is undoubtedly courageous. According to Hastings, McChrystal and his highly accomplished cadre of elite military men operated in a bubble so thick, they foolishly believed they could mold not only a magazine profile to their liking, but also an entire country. As the situation in Afghanistan grows increasingly muddy, the author's disciplined adherence to solid journalistic practices and his acute eye for sharp scene setting makes much of the chaos comprehensible. Hastings has definitely taken up the traditional banner of the intrepid war correspondent, but he's simultaneously shot it through with iconoclastic holes; the effect is illuminating on many levels. An exciting and enlightening exposé of the war in Afghanistan, the dangers of concentrated power and the public's need to know.
From the Publisher
"An impressive feat of journalism by a Washington outsider who seemed to know more about what was going on in Washington than most insiders did." —-The New York Times
Library Journal
Hastings seems to be just the man to tell us what's really happening in Afghanistan; his Rolling Stone article, "The Runaway General," created a storm that led to the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal. Here he relies on exclusive reporting in Washington, DC, Europe, the Middle East, and, specifically, Afghanistan to clarify what is really happening in that country. I'm betting that this will generate lots of interest.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780399159886
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 1/5/2012
  • Pages: 432
  • Sales rank: 301,770
  • Product dimensions: 6.44 (w) x 9.20 (h) x 1.40 (d)

Meet the Author


Michael Hastings, who spent two years reporting on Iraq, has worked for Newsweek since 2002. He has also filed stories from Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, Kurdistan, and Vietnam. He has been published in Slate, Salon, and Foreign Policy, as well as Newsweek International, for which he has written four cover stories. A portion of the author's proceeds from I Lost My Love in Baghdad will go to the Andi Foundation, information about which can be found at www.theandifoundation.org. Lloyd James has been narrating since 1996, has recorded over six hundred books in almost every genre, has earned six AudioFile Earphones Awards, and is a two-time nominee for the prestigious Audie Award. His bestselling and most critically acclaimed performances include Elvis in the Morning by William F. Buckley, Jr., Ben Hur by Lew Wallace, Searching for Bobby Fischer by Fred Waitskin, and Mystic Warrior by Tracy and Laura Hickman. Lloyd's background as a performer includes extensive work in classical theater and folk music. He lives in Maryland with his wife and children.
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Table of Contents

Part I The Plan

1 Delta Bravo 3

2 It's Not Switzerland 6

3 Lady Gaga 12

4 "Intimidated by the Crowd" 18

5 Arc de Trimphe 24

6 "A Violent Act" 33

7 On the X 40

8 The A-Team 45

9 "Bite Me" 51

10 The Photo Op 55

11 Totally Shit-Faced 59

12 "Dead Silence" 67

13 The Horror, the Horror 72

14 We're Actually Losing 78

15 Petraeus Can't Do Afghanistan, and We Aren't Going to Get Bin Laden 85

16 The Elections, Part I 94

17 Texts to Berlin 100

18 The Elections, Part II 102

19 Team America Rolls the Ritz 108

20 On Principle 116

21 Spies Like Us 121

22 "I'm President. I Don't Give a Shit What They Say" 129

23 The Strategy 137

24 "Let Me Be Clear" 149

25 Worshipping the Gods of Beer 153

26 Who Is Stanley McChrystal? Part I, 1954-1976 158

27 "The Jerk in Green" 165

28 Who Is Stanley McChrystal? Part II, 1976-Present Day 171

29 Reality Checks In 176

Part II Interlude: Dubai 183

Part III Afghanistan

30 A Short History of a Horrible Idea 201

31 Bad Romance 210

32 President Karzai Has a Cold 226

33 An E-mail Exchange: Come Walk in Our Boots 232

34 A Boy Born in 1987 235

35 Where Is Israel Arroyo? 240

36 Ingram's House 254

37 An Army of None 267

38 In the Arena 276

39 "I Didn't Even Know We Were Fighting There" 284

40 The Concluding Converations with Duncan Boothby, General Petraeus Face-Plants in Congress, and the Story Breaks While I Watch American Helicopter Pilots Kill Insurgents 290

Part IV The Graceful Exit

41 "Very, Very Bad" 313

42 The Pentagon Investigates McChrystal 324

43 The Media-Military-Industrial Complex 328

44 I'd Rather Be Eating a Burger 331

45 Once Upon a Time in Kandahar 336

46 King David's War 344

47 "Tourism, Not Terrorism" 350

48 Petraeus Does Body Counts 354

49 The New Afghanistan 360

50 Joe Biden Is Right 368

Epilogue: Someday, This War's Gonna End 376

Source Notes 381

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 3.5
( 22 )
Rating Distribution

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(8)

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(8)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 22 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 15, 2012

    Fantastic

    Among the real thinkers in the Army there is a motto that the subjects of this book failed to recognize as a truth: Arrogance does not equal competence.

    This author is a real patriot...he's exposed the Eisenhower wannabes for what they are and what they aren't.

    8 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted January 29, 2012

    Yes, We Should be Disturbed by the Afghan War and Its Leaders. Hastings Has the Experience to Tell Us Why

    If you want warm fuzzies about the powerful U.S. military and its exalted leaders, pass on this book. It's not for people who equate war with patriotism, security and heroic leadership. But it is fair, based on cobersationsI have had with current and retired military people.

    The military is its own universe, and Stanley McChrystal is the ultimate insider, not even knowing "what to do with civilians." Example: Hastings writes of McChrystal's contacting a respected author about his definitive book on the Vietnam War. The general asks the author what he (McChrystal) could learn from the author as he prepared to take the command in Afghanistan. The author replied that the U.S. should never have been in Vietnam. That was not was the general wanted to hear and proceeded with on-going, brutal attacks in the Helmand Province. An elite review team advised against even fighting there, where troops were being killed every four or five days.The momentum was there. Our forces would stay and fight. We now know, of course, that even the "great" Gen. David Petraeus did not use the word "win" after he took over the command from McChrystal. The Operators tells us why. It's well-researched - Hasting was there for the strategy and truth sessions - and it will be familiar to people who actually served.

    4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 25, 2012

    Engaging, but it could be written better

    I'm enjoying reading this book, and it's engaging and interesting. However, I cringe when I read things like, "He texted me it." Just a little more attention to good editing could have gone a long way.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 5, 2012

    Eye Opener!

    I have to admit I could only read so much of this book at one time because I found the behavior of these generals and their subordinates so disgusting. THis was an informative account of the complete manipulation of what went on in Afganistan and how the American people have been lied to so the generals can "play war" at the expense of many American lives. Thank you, Michael Hastings, for again enlightening us! Keep up the great work!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 8, 2012

    The operators

    Michael Hastings introduces humor to a very morbid and moribund adventure of the US in Afghanistan. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of our country.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 4, 2013

    Incredibly smart and bravely devoid of the love fest propaganda

    Incredibly smart and bravely devoid of the love fest propaganda one finds in Broadwell's bio of Petraeus.  This is a must read.  Hastings is the man!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 9, 2012

    Number 1from a Viet Nam Vet

    Afghanistan, what a waste of life (our soldiers & their civilans - could give a s... about their so called military)! Couple of Generals wanting their Combat Infantry badges, polliticans with no idea what the f... is going on, and civilian contractors raking in $,$$$,$$$'s at taxpayers' expense! Hastings, you are right on, thanks and keep hammering them. A must read if you give a s... about this country and our children and their children if they get to have any!!!

    1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 21, 2012

    Very imformitive - you must read it !

    This book gives a close work to the inner workings of politics and the war-machine. One more reason we are not winning these wars, too much political power in the way.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 7, 2012

    Amamzing

    If you read one book all year this is that book

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 6, 2012

    !

    Revealing...

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 4, 2012

    Reads like a suspense novel

    Spare observations on the waste and futility of war. "The strategy is akin to digging a hole in the desert, then filling the hole with cash and dead bodies and calling it a victory."

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 18, 2013

    Naive, youthful account

    The condescending tone of the book is unappealing at best. Hastily written and self aggrandizing account of young man's interviews with military personnel

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 19, 2012

    I like it

    I like chicken too

    0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 21, 2012

    Not worth the money

    Found this to be a little to liberal for my taste not so sure i buy into all that he says it sure as heck was not worth the $$$ hes charging

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 6, 2012

    Don't read save your time and money

    Horrid bad bad bad

    0 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 28, 2012

    No text was provided for this review.

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    Posted August 7, 2012

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    Posted January 18, 2012

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    Posted January 30, 2012

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    Posted January 31, 2012

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