Francis J West

Battalion 3/5 suffered the highest number of casualties in the war in Afghanistan. This is the story of one platoon in that distinguished battalion. Aware of U.S. plans to withdraw from the country, knowing their efforts were only a footprint in the sand, the fifty Marines of 3rd Platoon fought in Sangin, the most dangerous district in all of Afghanistan. So heavy were the casualties that the Secretary of Defense offered to pull the Marines out. Instead,...

From one of America's most renowned war correspondents comes the definitive account of the Afghanistan war, a damning policy assessment, and a compelling and controversial way forward.

"A platoon of Marines and CIA operatives clash in a fight to the death with the drug lords and the Taliban, while in Washington, the president seeks a way out. A small team of CIA operatives and Marines commanded by Captain Diego Cruz are protecting a tiny base in Helmand--the most violent province in Afghanistan. In a series of escalating fights, Cruz must prove he is a combat leader, despite the growing disapproval of the colonel in overall charge....

A Medal of Honor-awarded Marine sniper shares the controversy-marked story of his heroic contributions during a 2009 Taliban ambush during which he saved a company of Afghan soldiers and Marine advisors, a victory that compelled him to disobey orders and assume command without reinforcements or artillery support.