Elliot Ackerman

I quite enjoyed this book, which is, without question, well thought out and well-written, although I was a bit bothered by its odd-duck hybrid construction. Part memoir, part political commentary, Elliot Ackerman's THE FIFTH ACT: AMERICA'S END IN AFGHANISTAN comes across as a perhaps overly critical assessment of how the war in Afghanistan was waged - for twenty years no less - and the author is especially angry and frustrated at how it was precipitously ended, with the barely planned and poorly executed pullout of the last US troops, leaving behind hundreds, perhaps thousands of loyal Afghan allies and their families who had worked for and with our forces, now exposed and vulnerable to the vengeful whims of the chaotic, newly formed Taliban government.

As an eight-year veteran of the Marine Corps who served tours in Afghanistan (and Iraq), followed by a briefer time as a CIA paramilitary operative in-country, Ackerman certainly has had "skin in the game," and personal knowledge and experience of that ill-conceived conflict, and it shows. His frustration is especially evident in the chapters where he is in nearly constant phone contact, via calls, texts and voice mail, with those left behind, trying desperately to arrange safe passage and evacuation for them in those final few days of the pullout. And these negotiations are oddly juxtaposed with his own current situation: he is on vacation in Europe with his wife and children.

I did very much enjoy the memoir chapters where he told of the enduring friendships he made during his training and deployments with the Corps. But Ackerman's most important premise here, which becomes crystal clear in the latter part of the book, seems to be the increasingly dangerous politicization of our all-volunteer forces. He notes -

"If this trend of increased military politicization seeps into the active-duty ranks, it could lead to dangerous outcomes, particularly around elections, and specifically a presidential one."

The author is also very much aware of the current political divide, and how cable news networks, especially FoxNews, have exacerbated this divide, noting: "The politicization of American life is swiftly becoming total, with virtually no opinion or thought existing outside the realm of partisan sorting."

Just as Eisenhower once warned about the military-industrial complex, Ackerman now warns us -

"Our passions are being inflamed and manipulated for profit by a political-industrial complex that feeds off our basest fears of one another."

There is indeed much to consider in this slim volume of "early history." I could not help but wonder if the author might one day use this book as a basis for a future run for political office. If so, he's got a good head start. Go for it, Elliot. America needs you. Very highly recommended.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER… (mere)