The author of this book is a well traveled correspondent, who covered the War on Terror post 9/11. She reported war activities, and spoke to several people in the Middle East, on both sides of the conflict. I do not think she provided an unbiased view of this military action or the conditions in which people were living. She was very biased and was very clear on her position on United States policies and decisions regarding the invasion and wars in the Middle East. I cannot say that she was necessarily wrong about her views, plus everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Her writing style was certainly readable, and this was not the worst book that I have read on this subject.

I think that we often look at this war in terms of what it cost us. How many of us have family members and friends who have been on at least one deployment since 2001? How many of us have lost someone in combat or because of suicide or other injuries when they came home? We are born and raised in a very nationalist country, under the guise of patriotism. There is a difference in loving your country and supporting the people who protect it, and worshipping nationalism as a cult. A lot of people here do the latter. Once you realize that, you get sort of disillusioned. I think we fail to realize that there are real people over there who do not speak this language being screamed at and ordered around in words they do not understand. They are being promised things they do not get. They are watching people they love be killed while bombs are exploding all around them. It has to be very traumatic. I can see both sides of this particular argument, at least from the civilian point of view. This book was a good reminder that people are lied to by friends, neighbors, husbands, and their governments. It was a good reminder to view people as people, despite what the actions of a few do to sway us towards a stereotype.