The Only Thing Worth Dying For: How Eleven Green Berets Forged a New Afghanistan Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Eric Blehm (Author), P.J. Ochlan (Narrator), HarperAudio (Publisher)

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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.

Listening Length

12 hours and 43 minutes
Author

Eric Blehm
Narrator

P.J. Ochlan
Audible release date

May 8, 2012
Language

English
Publisher

HarperAudio
ASIN

B0081CDT8E
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	12 hours and 43 minutes
Author	Eric Blehm
Narrator	P.J. Ochlan
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	May 08, 2012
Publisher	HarperAudio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0081CDT8E
Best Sellers Rank	#15,153 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #37 in Afghan War #39 in Special Forces Military History #72 in Afghan War Military History

Customer reviews

5 star		79%
4 star		14%
3 star		5%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Dave Bluefox34

TURE TO LIFE. BECAUSE IT'S TOLD BY THOSE WHO WERE THERE.

Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2018

Verified Purchase

Great story of what it was like it the opening stages of the war on terror. With all the problems that you would expect. Plus some you wouldn't. Outdated maps, no military personnel with sufficient language skills. Overbearing glory seeking Headquarters units. However it is an exciting read. That points out that the armed services have to support each other. To get the immediate mission accomplished. Unless your a marine commander, and performing a rescue of wounded US soldiers. Who don'thappen to be Marines. Might put a bullet hole or two in one of your aircraft. You decline to assist. So what would have been a flight of less than a hour. Results in a flight of four hours in daylight over enemy territory. Certainly puts the current Secretary of Defense in a new unflattering light.

7 people found this helpful

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USMC Sniper

excellent but disturbing

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2011

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The vast majority of the reviews have rated this 5 stars. I would rate it higher if possible. The author, Eric Blehm has done an excellent job explaining the life of a SF team and what they can be assigned to accomplish. As indicated by the book the team was given a job in a new environment following 9-11 and as usual for SOG given very little specifics. They were making some of it up as they went along and by all accounts doing the job and accomplishing their assigned goal. Their problems started when the REMF's arrived from HQ to only "observe" the operation. Never in my lifetime have I ever experienced an observer who out ranked the troops on the ground "strictly observe". There is some defect within these "observers" brain that malfunctions when they arrive onsite. In this case the observers were an 0-5 and a 0-4 watching over the shoulder of a 0-3. The 0-3 was a team leader and was qualified for the position or he would not have been there. We have all seen it before the REMF's wrangle a way to get to the action so they can get a notation in their 201 file that says "he was there" and maybe pick up a medal. In this case their involvement was to interfere by directing the team leader to follow their orders and then they involved themselves into an unnecessary airstrike that took the lives of over 50 friendlies and crippled most of the survivors. Their obvious desire to earn battle stories for the "O Club" cost these men their lives. If these observers had of admitted their "war" had past them by and stayed in the rear where they belonged those who died might still be with us today. Both Officers should have faced a court martial. Excellent book but rotten result. It is a must read.

48 people found this helpful

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Mitch M.

A wonderful account of this world-changing mission and the men who executed it, and the risks of war...

Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2018

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A wonderful account of this world-changing mission and the men who executed it. It also highlights the easily-forgotten condition of western geopolitical thought prior to the Global War On Terror and the challenges facing our military in the post-Cold War era and immediate aftermath of 9/11, and shines a bright light on the brief period before it all fell apart. It is at once beautiful and tragic as Blehm brings you into this family of men and into the cold, barren Afghan night, and then breaks your heart with victory in view. I'd had this on my Amazon list for a few years since reading Fearless by Eric Blehm (highly recommended), and finally got around to picking it up. My only regret about the book is that it isn't longer.

2 people found this helpful

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Dave Monds

Gripping, a must read

Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2019

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Blehm describes the early days of SF in Afghanistan with clear and descriptive prose that seems like it must be made up. This is a story of professional soldiers plying their trade in difficult circumstances with remarkable results. It is a story of leadership and bravery. It is a story of tragedy and the horror of war. It is a story of people giving their all for a common goal and making the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of freedom.

2 people found this helpful

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Another example of bravery

Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2014

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A good book, that once again lets the reader get acquainted with some of the most courageous defenders of this country. Each member of the proud Green Berets showed how harsh and dangerous were the obstacles they faced. To say that I am so proud of these courageous individuals is putting it mildly. I actually revere their lives, for I recognize that without their kind, this country wouldn't be half the country that it is. Their strength, and their standing up against all forces that mean harm, make them a unique breed. I like the book on principle alone, not as much, perhaps, as some other titles, but it is such a privilege to read how they all work together, including aerial support, and how these eleven men defied the odds in their battle for the greater good. 4 Stars.

3 people found this helpful

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shawn o'toole

But will I die for you

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2013

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First off let me say that this book is not of blistering gun battles, but instead a mission of hope and the future. 10 special forces and an elder tribesmen would help defeat the Taliban and start a revolution against war on terror, 10 men would hold the key and future of a country torn by war since the beginning of time. 1 mission would dictate the future of a country and the outcome of a war, with all the might of the US military w/out this mission the armed forces could have meet the same consequence as the mighty Red army did decades before. This book is of men who forged a war against terror but United a country against it's self. This book is a must read if you want to know how an alliance was formed to defeat the war on terror but forged a new peace between God and country,this mission determined the outcome of the war against terror. A must read for the historic events of this mission, and the historic events that followed this mission.

6 people found this helpful

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CoreAS

Great book, a must read!

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2013

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This is the 2nd book I have read from this Author (fearless the other book). I really enjoy his style of writing, it’s very detailed without being boring. I am not going to write a detailed review from start to finish but...

As you read through the chapters you begin to get an idea of this particular SF group of men. This is my first book about Green Berets and they seem to be different from other SF groups. They are very down to earth, quietly confident and no 'superman" stories.

SF group (ODA574) really are silent hero's, they have my upmost respect. Through the twists and turns of this book (really difficult to put this one down) you will be shocked at the outcome of the last battle and you will have much respect for these soldiers.

Well done Eric Blehm.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Metal Squaddie

Humility and professionalism loses out to egos yet again

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2019

Verified Purchase

I'd been waiting to get this book for quite some time, especially after having read Sean Naylor's Not A Good Day To Die and Robin Moore's Task Force Dagger so I was all smiles when it finally came through my letterbox.
Eric Blehm's capture of the humility and professionalism of ODA 574, the team of Green Berets led by Captain Jason Amerine, is exceptional. There's just enough backstory on the strong characters of the team members to understand their personalities without delving into a portfolio of yawnsville biographies. This in turn really makes the guys real people to the reader, not just names on a page or possible characters in movie in the reader's mind.
I found the lack of swashbuckling contacts and firefights almost a relief, with the most interesting thing within the book being the forging of the relationships between the SF guys, Hamid Karzai and his Afghan fighters. Don't get me wrong, there is a good amount of detail on the contacts that happened but its not cover to cover fire and manoeuvre as some books rely on to sell. It highlights more of the patience and earning of trust that builds strong bonds exactly the way these elements should. When you stick to your trusted game plan, the results are what you strive for. If for whatever reason - or whoever's reason - you deviate from it, that's when things tend to start breaking down; as is painfully (and totally avoidably) illustrated in December 2001 when egos of certain bombastic higher ranks start throwing their weight around in environments they shouldn't even be in let alone giving commands in.

In short, a great piece of work detailing a true account of Special Forces soldiering on the highest level on a mission for all the right reasons. Its just unfortunate that as soon as the chest beating higher echelons get involved, it is as always, the lower ranks that come off worse.

Amazon Customer

Great read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 26, 2017

Verified Purchase

Fantastic book and didn't end the way I thought. So angry at the lack of true leadership combat men and women have to put up with. Morons who think they know it all and fail to listen to men who really know what they are doing.

Herc

fascinating

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 8, 2013

Verified Purchase

this story was completely new to me. It gave me a different view of Hamid Karzai & it was an amazing story about a small group of soldiers- inspiring courage

Jimmy Waugh

The real deal

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2016

Verified Purchase

This tells the real story no spin, no obfuscation and should concern us all because I think nothing has changed

Informed

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 15, 2016

Verified Purchase

Great book, really enjoyed it.

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The Only Thing Worth Dying For: How Eleven Green Berets Forged a New Afghanistan Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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