Rating: ![3 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-3-0.gif) Summary: Self-Serving, Distortions, But Worth Buying in Paper Review: As a former Marine Corps infantry officer I was among those who praised this book when it first came out, and I thought it quite spectacular. Years later, last week actually, I picked up Michael Asher's book, "The Real Bravo Two Zero," and was stunned by how a quality investigative journalist and former SAS'r fluent in Arabic, with three years under his belt living with the Bedouins, could actually trace back the exact paths outlined in the original book, only to reveal massive deceptions and fabrications. I actually recommend buying McNab's book, because it has a lot of useful detail and the protagonists are heroes simply for surviving--but if you want to take your experience up an order of magnitude, and be just plain flat out amazed, buy both this book and Asher's paperback, and see just how he reconstructed the truth deep within Iraq, talking to Bedouin's (three of whom actually were the "hoards of Iraqi's with tanks and personnel carriers" during the fateful battle that broke the mission apart) and actually walking the ground and finding all the traces.
Rating: ![4 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-4-0.gif) Summary: Well Told Real-Life SAS Story Review: This book is about a True Gulf War mission gone terribly bad. An elite team of British Special Air Service (SAS) were dropped into the desert of western Iraq. The mission was disguised as a search and recovery but really to find and transmit coordinates of mobile Iraqi SCUD missile launchers. Early in the book the mission when south: the team was found by a local shepherd boy, then local Iraqi militia were called out, in the meantime their radios did not work, then all hell broke lose.
To save themselves the decided to trek, with well over 200 lbs. of equipment, to the Syrian border. During the trek many more dreadful events happen and men were lost leg injury to dangerous dehydration. The ones that survived were able to using their long-lasted experience and rigorous training. McNab describes the events so well that you cannot put the book down since it fells like you are in Iraqi borders. Some minor details really place the book over other military books I have read. The military jargon explained during the book and with a glossary at the back. British army slang that helps in the re-creating the events. The military pictures in the middle of the book help visualize the equipment, the maps in the back of book help with location analysis and the small diagrams of the torture chambers added to the reality. The most intense parts of the book were the second half of the book with the description of the tortures, the description of the surroundings and the British cultural integration with the Iraqis. I gave this book 4 stars since I thought that some sections were strung out and lost my interest. If you are a military book reader I am sure you will appreciate the book. Happy Reading.
Rating: ![5 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-5-0.gif) Summary: Totally awesome Review: McNab is the most highly decorated soldier in British history. If you want to know what valour is in the heart of a soldier, read this. Lesser men write books attempting to debunk the achievments of others (Michael Asher, who tried to demean McNab's achievements, also tried to debunk Lawrence of Arabia a few years back - and was roundly derided then as well); McNab's personal experiences are still classified, and we have to accept that operational details have to be changed. Incidentally, Asher is NOT an "SAS trooper" as he likes to descibe himself; he was a reservist, and the selection procedures are nowhere near as stringent as for the grown-up regiment.
Rating: ![5 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-5-0.gif) Summary: Best Book I Ever Read Review: If I could, I would rate this book 500 stars! It's the best book I've ever read it even beats Rainbow Six! It's about a group of 9 SAS members dropped off Saudi, ordered to blow up a pipeline in Iraq leading to the SCUD Launchers (Weapons of mass destruction). The mission goes horribly wrong, but I won't go too into the story, I'll leave the suspense in for you. But, this is a must read and it's better than the [bad] BBC movie, so read this first.
Rating: ![3 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-3-0.gif) Summary: Unbreakable Review: Gripping, true-life tale of a pointless mission behind enemy lines by Britain's elite SAS special forces during the first Gulf War. Disgusting account of Iraqi torture methods. Strangely one is left with an impression of the SAS operatives as tough, souless mechanical beings, while the [...] Iraqis come over as somehow more human!!! Odd.
Rating: ![5 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-5-0.gif) Summary: Truth and fallacy -- flip sides of the same coin. Review: Harry S. Truman said, "Talk quietly, and carry a big stick." Talking is a political game, and talking softly means speaking low so that others must concentrate on what you say, the tone of your voice, to hear you. The big stick is backing up your words with power. Every man and woman who serves in the elite forces, no matter what country they represent, must be dedicated and willing to give their lives. The action and details that Andy McNab describes are realistic. Whether they were actual events he experienced in The Gulf War, or not, does not change his heroism, or the power of this book. He is the most highly decorated soldier in British history. He knows that a warrior's way is not that of a peacemaker, but of the peacekeeper. Many times a soldier must know what to say and what not to say; McNab's personal experiences may still be classified. NATO troops fight in the countries and conditions he describes -- today, now -- in a war against terrorism. If you want to know what valor is in the heart of a soldier -- any soldier -- read this. Elite forces take the roads that few can follow.
Rating: ![5 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-5-0.gif) Summary: Awsome Review: This book was great, the detail was just amazing. Now people are saying it isn't real because one guy says it isn't? Andy McNab, at the time he retired, was the most highly decorated soldier in the history of the British, and he still might be. Now, I think his credability is pretty good compared to the other guys...Anyway, read this book, it's one of the best ever!
Rating: ![1 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-1-0.gif) Summary: More Fiction than Fact. :-( Review: After reading Michael Asher's "The Real Bravo Two Zero", it was disappointing to realise that the true story had been given a "Hollywood Action" makeover. Its a good read but not really what happened on the mission.
Rating: ![1 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-1-0.gif) Summary: Complete and utter fiction Review: As has been comprehensively proved (not least by the new book The Real Bravo Two Zero) this book is complete fiction. There were no firefights, they did not leave a trail of 250 dead Iraqi's (indeed they were chased away by 3 old men with a 50 year old rifle) They killed no-one. The shepherd boy states that he never saw the men and therefore could not have compromised their position. Accept this book as the pure fiction that it is and it is an entertaining yarn.
Rating: ![1 stars](http://www.reviewfocus.com/images/stars-1-0.gif) Summary: This Story Is Not True ! Review: Former SAS trooper Michael Asher ( who speaks Arabic ) retraced the Gulf War mission described in this book and found that plausible eyewitness accounts differed greatly from the events written in this book . He also tried to carry the heavy baggage the same distance as described in the book and found it impossible , but his most suprising revelation was that no enemy was killed in mortal combat at the hands of this SAS team , which makes the author's ludicrous figure of 250 enemy dead laughable . It's also come to light that there are glaring discrepancies between the information given by the author at his SAS debriefing ceremony , and the events that take place in this book . If this book had been published as a work of fiction I would have given it more stars as it is a rolicking story that Hollywood would have been proud of , but to publish it as fact is irresponsible to say the least , given that certain reputations have been damaged by this book .
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