Why We Lost

A General's Inside Account of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

By: Daniel Bolger

Narrated by: Steve Coulter

A high-ranking general's gripping insider account of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how it all went wrong.

Over a 35-year career, Daniel Bolger rose through the army infantry to become a three-star general, commanding in both theaters of the U.S. campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. He participated in meetings with top-level military and civilian players, where strategy was made and managed. At the same time, he regularly carried a rifle alongside rank-and-file soldiers in combat actions - unusual for a general. Now, as a witness to all levels of military command, Bolger offers a unique assessment of these wars, from 9/11 to the final withdrawal from the region.

Writing with hard-won experience and unflinching honesty, Bolger makes the firm case that in Iraq and in Afghanistan, we lost - but we didn't have to. Intelligence was garbled. Key decision makers were blinded by spreadsheets or theories. And at the root of our failure, we never really understood our enemy. Why We Lost is a timely, forceful, and compulsively listenable account of these wars from a fresh and authoritative perspective.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2014 Daniel Bolger (P)2015 Audible Inc.

Good but incomplete narrative of The GWOT

Bolger makes a compelling argument of how the US lost the GWOT terror and why. The US military prior to 9/11 was modelled to win lightning wars like Desert Storm, but became an occupying force caught in protracted open-ended counter insurgency operations.

Finally the truth

A lot of reviews mention that it’s more like a chronological of the wars. I found that it’s a lot of context that supports the conclusion. As a former soldier who spent years on the ground, I can say that this is an accurate and honest assessment of the GWOT.

Good book, misleading title

Any additional comments?

The title "Why We Lost" would perhaps be appropriate for the epilogue only.

The rest of this book, consists of a series of vignettes of western intervention in the Middle East and South Asia from the end of the Cold War up until the time of writing. The title's tagline "A General's Inside Account of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars" is also inappropriate. If, indeed, the author was present at any of the actions described, it is not clearly stated, and much of the discussion following these engagements followed closely with mainstream interpretation and opinion; the author's personal reflections on these events was not immediately apparent.

To be clear, however, this is a great book. Bolger condenses extensive, multi-source research into a great narrative, and incorporates the view from both troops on the ground, and commanders at home. As a narrative of the wars from a coalition point of view, it is a great contribution.

A General's account of the post 911 wars

This account was the insiders' perspective I was looking for. He didn't seem to be too judgmental or bitter. He just told the story and threw in plenty of tales of the front lines. His analysis was even keeled, I thought. The narration and recording quality was good as well.

Highly recommend this title!

This book is less "why we lost" and more "here's what happened". It was a great book, I just felt that it's title want justified until the epilogue though.