{"product_id":"blood-metal-and-dust-9781472831040","title":"Blood Metal and Dust","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSHORTLISTED FOR THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON MEDAL FOR MILITARY HISTORY 2021, THE BRITISH ARMY BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021, AS A FINALIST FOR THE 2020 ARMY HISTORICAL FOUNDATION DISTINGUISHED WRITING AWARDS. FIRST RUNNER UP IN THE TEMPLER MEDAL BOOK PRIZE 2021. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e''With a soldier's eye for telling operational details, Ben Barry offers an authoritative, compelling and inevitably bleak account of the American and British campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.''  \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King's College London\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNewly revised and updated with in-depth analysis of the current situation in Afghanistan after American withdrawal, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBlood, Metal and Dust \u003c\/i\u003eis an authoritative account of how the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were played out, explaining their underlying politics and telling the story of what happened on the ground.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the high-ranking officer who wrote the still-classified British military \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt one level \u003ci\u003eBlood, Metal and Dust\u003c\/i\u003e is a clear, dispassionate and succinct military history of the post-9\/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But it is much more important than that. As the US and UK turn their backs too quickly on both wars, they are in danger of disregarding the lessons and so failing to profit from their experiences. This book puts that right. Ben Barry is forthright in his criticisms and depressingly correct in his conclusions. \u003ci\u003eBlood, Metal and Dust\u003c\/i\u003e is essential reading. * Sir Hew Strachan FBA FRSE, Professor of International Relations at the University of St Andrews and former Chichele Professor of the History of War at All Souls College, Oxford. *\u003cbr\u003eWith a soldier’s eye for telling operational details, Ben Barry offers an authoritative, compelling and inevitably bleak account of the American and British campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. * Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King’s College London *\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBlood, Metal and Dust\u003c\/i\u003e is a seminal work that exploits newly available archival material to produce a riveting account of the allies’ wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Armed with a keen scholarly eye and long military experience, Ben Barry dissects key decision points and pitched battles ranging from Tora Bora, Operation \u003ci\u003eMedusa\u003c\/i\u003e and Wanat in Afghanistan to the US Marines’ Anbar campaign, Operation \u003ci\u003eViking Hammer\u003c\/i\u003e in Kurdistan, and the Sadr City battle of 2008. His unsparing judgments should inform future war planning, making this book required reading for the policymaker and the practitioner alike. * Linda Robinson, Senior International\/Defense Researcher, RAND Corporation and author of 'Tell Me How This Ends' *\u003cbr\u003eThe telling of this particular audit of war is accomplished with precision and with dispassionate honesty. This book is required reading. -- Mark Barnes * War History Online *\u003cbr\u003eThis is without doubt the best military history of the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan I have read to date. * Wavell Room *\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBlood, Metal and Dust \u003c\/i\u003eis an essential, landmark work. -- Mungo Melvin * The RUSI Journal *\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBlood, Metal and Dust\u003c\/i\u003e is the essential account of the 21st-century wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. -- Martin Purbrick * Asian Affairs *\u003cbr\u003eThis is a must-read. * This England *\u003cbr\u003eLucid, wide-ranging and thorough, for students of the West’s recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan it will remain an indispensable resource for years to come. * International Journal of Military History and Historiography *\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBlood, Metal and Dust\u003c\/i\u003e makes an excellent contribution to the understanding on the War on Terror. * Air and Space Power Review *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eList of Maps List of Illustrations Preface to First Edition Preface to Second Edition Acknowledgements 1 Before the Fall: The military experience of the US and its allies before 9\/11 2 Strategic Shock and Response: Afghanistan from 9\/11 to Operation \u003ci\u003eAnaconda\u003c\/i\u003e  3 Economy of Force: Stabilizing Afghanistan 2002–05 4 Operation \u003ci\u003eCobra II\u003c\/i\u003e: The invasion of Iraq  5 Descent into Chaos: Iraq 2003–04 6 ‘As the Iraqis stand up we will stand down’: The Transition Strategy 2004–06 7 The Iraq Surge: Regaining the initiative  8 Learning under Fire: The struggle to adapt to the unexpected character of the conflicts 9 The Battles for Basra: Britain’ s near-defeat in southern Iraq  10 Endgame in Iraq: Success turns to failure  11 The Enemy Gets a Vote: Afghanistan 2006–09 12 The Afghan Surge: 2009–12 13 The Failure of the Transition to Afghan Security Leadership   14 Bloody Lessons Glossary Recommended Reading Endnotes Index\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49408759398743,"sku":"9781472831040","price":14.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781472831040.jpg?v=1730504098","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/blood-metal-and-dust-9781472831040","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}