Product Description

Reports from the front lines and the hidden agendas of the war on terror Authors Adam H. and Alan R. of the "Beast 85" Special Forces team, disguised and dressed in Taliban garb, successfully tracked down al Qaeda and Taliban leaders in the Deh Rawod region of Afghanistan. Their team captured three of the most wanted men in the country, including Mullah Osmani. Two weeks later, their prize prisoner was "gone." Another time, the CIA had a satellite positioned above the infamous Mullah Omar's head. They could count every hair in his beard. Incredibly, the coalition troops wouldn't - or couldn't - shoot. Pat Tilman left highly paid NFL Arizona Cardinals to become a soldier but was killed in April 2004. Initially Army officials awarded Silver Star for combat valor and a Purple Heart & promoted from specialist to corporal. They said Tillman was killed while charging at the enemy up a hill, allowing the rest of his platoon to escape alive. Investigations proved he was killed by a member of his own unit following a series of command errors. Were these mere blunders by the U.S. military, or worse...were they deliberate decisions made by America's top political leaders? These and other disturbing episodes in Hunting al Qaeda display the hidden agendas and outright mistakes of the world's most powerful army in its war on terror.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #212209 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Review
Canadian Army Journal, "Spring 2007 "In terms of physical production, I would especially commend the staff at Zenith Press for their creative approach to Hunting Al Qaeda," Most publishers eschew maps and photographs in order to save money, but Zenith chose to use color photos. More importantly, the book jacket, when unfolded, has a 1: 100,000 map of the BEAST 85 operating area printed on it, making following the operations much easier. Other publishers need to understand that military history needs maps; they can learn from the Zenith approach."
StrategyWorld.com, Sept. 21, 2005 "A rare inside look at Special Forces operations in Afghanistan ... "Hunting al Qaeda" makes a number of important points about the importance of speed in planning and execution, which were often lacking. Indeed, this book is likely to leave the reader with the impression that things went badly wrong in Afghanistan from the time the legions of staff arrived on the scene. It also illustrates the importance of flexibility and adaptability in the field ... "Hunting al Qaeda" is a tale of real-life special operations worthy of Hollywood, and a stinging indictment of America's ossified military bureaucracy. It is also the best and most compulsively readable book yet to emerge from the global War on Terror."

Customer Reviews

the amazon synopsis
having just read the amazon synopsis of this book, I can say it's got no mention whatsoever of the Tilman story.

The book is actually about national guard SF troops called to active service in Afghan. It describes operations it was involved in.

The disillusionment in the title is really about the army bureaucracy, where career building comes before war-fighting.

Not a bad read, it's a shame that the book doesn't have more about the operations involved. Tho what it does have is good.

It Takes No Prisoners
All though I have not yet finished this book I find it a very revealing read about the US Government and Military. The actual point of the book is most intriguing but I find that there is unnecessary swearing. I would recommended that anyone serving or wishing to serve their country read this.