“for years, the united states has dumped untold billions of dollars into regime-change operations, nation building schemes, military interventions, and interminable wars in the Greater Middle East. Iraqis and Afghans, Syrians, Libyans, and Yemenis have grappled with the consequences. South Sudan was a different type of american intervention, but the results turned out to be sadly similar for its people.”

I discovered Nick Turse after reading Kill Anything that Moves in undergrad. He is an exceptional writer and a thorough reporter. This book was a great introduction to the conflict in South Sudan, something i had no prior knowledge of. Though the main focus of the book is stories told by the people who survived the atrocities in South Sudan, the undercurrent running through the entirety of the book is the continued ineptness of US foreign policy—how it hurts nations instead of helping. There were also subtle criticisms of the UN “peacekeeping” forces— in some instances, when it came time to actually try to save people, the UN couldn’t be bothered. disgusting but not surprising from both the US and UN.

My only complaint is the style of the book—it jumps around and was hard to follow at times. But overall, a worthwhile read.