The only thing worth dying for : how eleven Green Berets forged a new Afghanistan

On a moonless night just weeks after September 11, 2001, U.S. Special Forces team ODA 574 infiltrates the mountains of southern Afghanistan with a seemingly impossible mission: to foment a tribal revolt and force the Taliban to surrender. Armed solely with the equipment they can carry on their backs, shockingly scant intelligence, and their mastery of guerrilla warfare, Captain Jason Amerine and his men have no choice but to trust their only ally, a little-known Pashtun statesman named Hamid Karzai who has returned from exile and is being hunted by the Taliban as he travels the countryside raising a militia. The Only Thing Worth Dying For chronicles the most important mission in the early days of the Global War on Terror, when the men on the ground knew little about the enemy—and their commanders in Washington knew even less. With unprecedented access to surviving members of ODA 574, key war planners, and Karzai himself, award-winning author Eric Blehm cuts through the noise of politicians and high-level military officials to narrate for the first time a story of uncommon bravery and terrible sacrifice, intimately exposing the realities of unconventional warfare and nation-building in Afghanistan that continue to shape the region today. The untold exploits of the U.S. Army Special Forces team that conquered the Taliban are revealed in this “gripping story of admirable men” (Kirkus).On a moonless night just weeks after September 11, 2001, a U.S. Special Forces team of Green Berets known as ODA 574 infiltrated the mountains of southern Afghanistan with a seemingly impossible mission: to foment a tribal revolt and force the Taliban to surrender. Armed solely with the equipment they could carry on their backs, shockingly scant intelligence, and their mastery of guerrilla warfare, Captain Jason Amerine and his ten men had no choice but to trust their only ally, a little-known Pashtun statesman named Hamid Karzai. Having returned from exile, Karzai—on the run from the Taliban—was traveling the countryside to raise a militia.The Only Thing Worth Dying For chronicles the most important mission in the early days of the Global War on Terror, when the men on the ground knew little about the enemy—and their commanders in Washington knew even less. With unprecedented access to surviving members of ODA 574, key war planners, and Karzai himself, award-winning author Eric Blehm recounts a story of uncommon bravery and terrible sacrifice, intimately exposing the realities of unconventional warfare and nation-building in Afghanistan that continue to shape the region today.“The one book you must read if you have any hope of understanding what our fine American soldiers are up against in Afghanistan.” —Former Congressman Charlie Wilson

On a moonless night just weeks after September 11, 2001, a U.S. Special Forces team of Green Berets known as ODA 574 infiltrated the mountains of southern Afghanistan with a seemingly impossible mission: to foment a tribal revolt and force the Taliban to surrender. Armed solely with the equipment they could carry on their backs, shockingly scant intelligence, and their mastery of guerrilla warfare, Captain Jason Amerine and his ten men had no choice but to trust their only ally, a little-known Pashtun statesman named Hamid Karzai. Having returned from exile, Karzai—on the run from the Taliban—was traveling the countryside to raise a militia.

The Only Thing Worth Dying For chronicles the most important mission in the early days of the Global War on Terror, when the men on the ground knew little about the enemy—and their commanders in Washington knew even less. With unprecedented access to surviving members of ODA 574, key war planners, and Karzai himself, award-winning author Eric Blehm cuts through the noise of politicians and high-level military officials to narrate for the first time a story of uncommon bravery and terrible sacrifice, intimately exposing the realities of unconventional warfare and nation-building in Afghanistan that continue to shape the region today.

The Author Exposes The Realities Of Unconventional Warfare And Nation-building In Afghanistan In This Chronicle Of One Of The Most Important Military Mission In The Early Days Of The Global War On Terror--oda 574--wherein A Special Forces Team Infiltrated The Mountains Of Southern Afghanistan, Fomented A Tribal Revolt, And Forced The Taliban To Surrender. A Most Dangerous Mission -- The Quiet Professionals -- To War -- The Soldier And The Statesman -- The Taliban Patrol -- The Battle Of Tarin Kowt -- Credibility -- Madness -- Death On The Horizon -- The Ruins -- The Thirteenth Sortie -- Futility -- Rescue At Shawali Kowt -- Worth Dying For. Eric Blehm. Illustrations On Liner Pages. Includes Bibliographical References. Eric Blehm, author of the award-winning The Last Season , is back with another true adventure story, The Only Thing Worth Dying For . Set in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, The Only Thing Worth Dying For chronicles the untold story of the team of Green Berets led by Captain Jason Amerine that conquered the Taliban and helped bring Hamid Karzai to power in Afghanistan. In the tradition of Black Hawk Down , The Only Thing Worth Dying For is, in the words of former Congressman Charlie Wilson (from Charlie Wilson's War ), "the one book you must read if you have any hope of understanding what our fine American soldiers are up against in Afghanistan." Drawing on unprecedented access to a team of green berets, high-level military planners and Hamid Karzai, the author tells the story of the U.S. Army Special Forces team that conquered the Taliban against overwhelming odds while protecting Karzai before he became the first democratically elected leader of Afghanistan. Reprint. A best-selling book. 40,000 first printing.