Dagger 22: U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan Hardcover – Unabridged, September 20, 2016

This is the second book by Michael Golembesky about his time with MSOT 8222 in Afghanistan. The story is packed with action and provides insight into how the soldiers on the ground felt when their combat leaders decided to sacrifice the safety of the boots on the ground due to political pressure. Interesting read!

Jump into the sequel to level zero heroes. Gripping and thrilling, youll feel like youre in the fighting holes with Dagger 22 in rural Afghanistan

I was torn between Dagger 22 and Level Zero Heroes so I bought both. Same author, written about the same MARSOC unit, same AO, same time period…. When I got them I started to read Dagger 22 first, but it quickly became obvious that it’s written as a sequel to LZH. So I switched and I’m glad I did.Both are good reads about an intense deployment in the Wild West of Afghanistan, but I think some of the storyline would be lost if Dagger 22 is read as a stand alone.Simper Fi!

I just finished this book and probably need a little more time to digest it all. However, I wanted to get this review out there in hopes it inspires just one person to buy the book. This is a true, gritty in the muck book about a MARSOC team that fought together, sacrificed together, grew together and died together. I have read almost every book published about the Afghan war and this book does the absolute best job of painting the picture of what life was like for SOF guys out in the armpit of hell(AFGHANISTAN). Lots of action as well, no clear political agenda (although at times I wanted to jump back in time and strangle some of the REMFs mentioned in the book for what they would not allow the operators to do). All around excellent read and I truly wish I could shake all of these guys hands. Thank you to all our Marines who fought, bled and died for us. Those who give thanks to God for you all everyday still exist out here and will never forget your sacrifice.

I had previously read Sean Naylor's Relentless Strike, which examines U. S. Special Operations from the commanders' standpoint. In Dagger 22, Michael Golembesky describes how some of the decisions of the senior commanders detailed in Relentless Strike affect the actual operations of the soldiers in combat. As described by Mr. Golembesky, the on-the-ground effect of some of these decisions wasn't always good from the perspective of the soldiers fighting Taliban forces. I'm sure that the senior officers could offer justification for the rules of engagement which they imposed. Reading both books enhanced my understanding of the Afghan conflict.The author describes life in the forward lines of the Afghan war. They fought with Afghan allies, some of whom were reliable and some of whom were not. Securing approval to engage the Taliban required, to me, a surprising level of bureaucratic effort and expertise. Engaging the military bureaucracy to secure authorization to undertake missions illuminated a dimension of warfare in Afghanistan that the author found troubling. Once approved, the fighting cost the lives of valued members of the Marine Corps Special Forces. The loss of these lives significantly impacted those who lived. For those of us who only read the book and have not lived through the Afghan experience, which I suspect is most readers, the emotional effect of these losses should be shared at least in some small measure with the author and his fellow soldiers.One observation that he made about some Taliban who held out when they should have retreated intrigued me. They were confined in a prison with no walls; a prison of circumstances. Fear and ideology left them to die. I resolved not to let myself fall into such a prison.If you have an interest in the 21st century combat experience, I recommend the book. .

It would be safe to say that this book continues to expound on the classic quote from Carl Maria von Clausewitz that "War is the continuation of politics by other means." Although there is interesting combat descriptions and infantry platoon level tactics (i.e. action is very much present and intelligently described), the real gem of this book is the sociopolitical observation made by a non-commissioned officer who astutely understands the schizoid nature of asymmetric warfare in the 21st century.This book and its predecessor are excellent documents to emerge from America's involvement in Afghanistan. The lessons and pitfalls gleaned from this account will undoubtedly be repeated in future operation and conflicts. If one is curious as to why modern warfare is stagnant, financially crippling, and psychologically infuriating and debilitating to those who participate, then this account is a must have.In a time and age where action, punchlines, and superficial accounts of warfare have almost become standards (and trivially produced in a pulp mill fashion)...this is a shining example of not only the conflict afflicting America, but the mentality of the rear echelon (both Military and Civilian) that has prevented the American fighting man/woman to properly perform their function.Read this novel and you will be rewarded with the ability to understand why America could not nor will not ever achieve lasting military victory. Thank you SSgt. Golembesky and MSOT 8222 for your wonderful account. Some of us sincerely appreciate your sacrifice and insight into the world rarely seen on modern media formats.

The book started a little slow but soon took off to the point I. Couldn't put the book down. A good read.

Not well edited but a good encapsulation of SOF work in Afghanistan. A quick read and good story of the budding MARSOC force.

Basado en hechos reales

Muito bom... chegou rapido

I liked the complete story which walked me thru the actions of team Dagger22 performing their duties. Also liked as there was limitted talk about the political battles in the White House about who does what.

Bello, di facile lettura anche per chi non è 100% confident con l'inglese. Ben rappresenta l'Afghanistan di quei tempi e

Another gripping read, thank you. The detail of the chaos makes this recommended reading for anyone and everyone in today’s military.