Soldiers in a Rather Aimless War, Paperback/Howard McGee

Were there any winners? Any point at all to the Anglo/American invasion of Iraq in 2003? McGee considers that the political mindset for the invasion of Iraq began in Kosovo, arguing that the well-meaning Western invaders were unable to understand the complexities and differences of the Islamic world or to accept that Western values are simply not recognised there and that this lack of understanding of the enemy's culture led to the dismal failure of Western governments in the years of war that followed. The viewpoint of a soldier is very different to that of the press, the government and most of the public. In this fascinating insight to the madness of 21st Century war, we read of life on active duty in a woefully mismanaged and under-resourced army, sent to fight a dubious war without either adequate ammunition and supplies or the support of the nation while the public figures give them a 'damn good ignoring'. Read and weep.