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(More customer reviews)All I can say is reading this was a very emotional experience as I relived some of those memories from Ventor's book, War Dog.
It is not only a work of truth but an amazing story of historical facts that should be read by anyone who truly wants to understand the nature of modern, post cold war conflict and how closely integrated international economy is with these small wars.
He also, speaks not only of the 'contrary to popular opinion' fact, that most modern mercs were former distinguished soldiers who left their service and continue to serve with more honor than many civilians will ever know or have. Mercs who also were smart enough to see a way to make some money doing what they were already good at from years of service. Mercs who risk their lives for causes, not just money, and that many of these causes, still actually serve the good of their own homelands through indirect means.
Also, they understand that many of their enemies are not out for anything other than pure greed and will stop at no inhumane horror to attempt achieving this. Using child soldiers, hacking off limbs of old people with dull machetes, taking bets and then cutting the babies out of pregnant women to see if it's a boy or girl that falls out...
These mercs understand what no politician or self professed peace lover will ever understand or be able to say, much less take action on...And that is that some people in this world are not kind, but ruthless and the only way to stop them is with force...
And that's what this book is all about, these men who choose to lay their lives on the line, sure for some money, if they live and when they get paid (if ever), but mostly for a cause they believe in, in places most can't even fathom and in ways, many will never understand, until they live it.
These men fall in love with a woman, or a country, or an ideal and often, money is the least of their motives. Read for yourself and form your own opinion. This is the closest to ground truth anyone can ever get without actually going there and living through it- if they live though it.
For me, my tour in Africa in some ways, was one of my quietest in terms of combat actually fought, as my wars were in other places. But, in terms of the blood shed and horrors of inhumanity, I've seen nothing like these wars.
And, I've seen nothing like the brave men I met there. The Russian crews I served with were some of the best ever and the South African men I met and worked with there, make many heros look small in comparison. To those men go the real honors and salutations.
And to Ventor for capturing it, so that their stories will be told, the truth will be know, people can understand and maybe, just maybe, someone somewhere, who is in a position to make a change, might just do so and in that, all our efforts combined, will make a difference.
A good read, a better book and a great story for everyone who seeks to understand where we are and where we're going.
Salute!
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WAR DOG: Fighting Other People's Wars -The Modern Mercenary in CombatMercenaries have been with us since the dawn of civilization, yet in the modern world they are little understood. While many of today's freelance fighters provide support for larger military establishments, others wage war where the great powers refuse to tread. In War Dog, Al Venter examines the latter world of mercenary fighters effecting decisions by themselves. In the process he unveils a remarkable array of close-quarters combat action.
Having personally visited every locale he describes throughout Africa and the Middle East, Venter is the rare correspondent who had to carry an AK-47 in his research along with his notebook and camera. To him, covering mercenary actions meant accompanying the men into the thick of combat. During Sierra Leone's civil war, he flew in the front bubble of the government's lone Hind gunship-piloted by the heroic chopper ace "Nellis"-as it flew daily missions to blast apart rebel positions. In this book the author not only describes the battles of the legendary South African mercenary company Executive Outcomes, he knew the founders personally and joined them on a number of actions. After stemming the tide of Jonas Savimbi's UNITA army in Angola (an outfit many of the SA operators had previously trained), Executive Outcomes headed north to hold back vicious rebels in West Africa.
This book is not only about triumph against adversity but also losses, as Venter relates the death and subsequent cannibalistic fate of his American friend, Bob MacKenzie, in Sierra Leone. Here we see the plight of thousands of civilians fleeing from homicidal jungle warriors, as well as the professionalism of the mercenaries who fought back with one hand and attempted to train government troops with the other, in hopes that they would someday be able to stand on their own.
The American public, as well as its military, largely sidestepped the horrific conflicts that embroiled Africa during the past two decades. But as Venter informs us, there were indeed small numbers of professional fighters on the ground, defending civilians and attempting to conjure order from chaos. In the process their heroism went unrecorded and their combat skill became known only to each other.
In this book we gain an intimate glimpse of this modern breed of warrior in combat. Not laden with medals, ribbons, civic parades, or even guaranteed income, they have nevertheless fought some of the toughest battles in the post- Cold War era. They simply are, and perhaps always will be, "War Dogs."
AL J. VENTER has been an international war correspondent for nearly thirty years, primarily for the Jane's Information Group. He has also produced documentary television films on subjects from the wars in Africa and Afghanistan to sharkhunting off the Cape of Good Hope. Among his previous works are The Iraqi War Debrief: Why Saddam Hussein Was Toppled and Iran's Nuclear Option: Tehran's Quest for the Atomic Bomb. A native of South Africa, he is currently resident in the United Kingdom.
REVIEWS
"A disturbing insight into the ever growing world of unconventional private armies. Like it or not, Venter tells it to us the way it is."John Le Carre
"In this work Al Venter has delved into the real-life exploits of the War Dogs... to illuminate how the privateers have continued to conduct battle in the wake of the Colonial Age.The true stories in this work are more impressive than fiction, and in terms of Africa, this book should be on the must read list for the U.S. State Department and British Foreign Office." Frederick Forsyth
"...a gripping and hugely informative read. ...highly recommended. ...impressive and enlightening."The Herald, 07/2008
"...a remarkable read with thriller moments that take you deep into the action"Raider, 11/2008
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