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Irregular Army

How the US Military Recruited Neo-Nazis, Gang Members, and Criminals to Fight the War on Terror
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( 117 ratings, 19 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Irregular Army by Matt Kennard delves into the transformation of the American military since the onset of the War on Terror, highlighting how it increasingly recruited neo-Nazis, gang members, and individuals with extremist views. The book examines the consequences of these recruitment practices on military operations and U.S. society, providing a critical analysis of the military's changing ethics and policies. This eye-opening investigation sheds light on how these dynamics affect both domestic and international perceptions of the U.S. armed forces.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this thought-provoking book if you're interested in exploring how recruitment practices in the U.S. military evolved during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. With a focus on the socio-political impacts, it delves into how these changes affected both the military and broader American society. Political enthusiasts and those curious about military and state dynamics will find this an enlightening read.

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How the Us Military Recruited Neo-Nazis, Gang Members, and Criminals to Fight the War on Terror

Reveals the US military's "don't ask, don't tell" approach to extremists in its ranks

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Since the launch of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars—now the longest wars in American history—the US military has struggled to recruit troops. It has responded, as Matt Kennard's explosive investigative report makes clear, by opening its doors to neo-Nazis, white supremacists, gang members, criminals of all stripes, the overweight, and the mentally ill.

Based on several years of reporting, Irregular Army includes extensive interviews with extremist veterans and leaders of far-right hate groups—who spoke openly of their eagerness to have their followers acquire military training for a coming domestic race war. As a report commissioned by the Department of Defense itself put it, "Effectively, the military has a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy pertaining to extremism."

Irregular Army connects some of the War on Terror's worst crimes to this opening-up of the US military. With millions of veterans now back in the US and domestic extremism on the rise, Kennard's book is a stark warning about potential dangers facing Americans—from their own soldiers.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Irregular Army by Matt Kennard is praised for its fluent and powerful narrative, marking Kennard as a prominent investigative journalist. The book sheds light on the troubling aspects of the US military system, prompting concern for American citizens and others globally. It is heralded as a standout piece of journalism amidst extensive literature on the War on Terror, providing a devastating and persuasive critique of recruitment policies.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781781685631

Publisher: Verso Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 February 2015

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Verso Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 354g

Pages: 284

About the Author

Matt Kennard is a journalist based in London. He has worked for the Financial Times in Washington, New York, and London, and has written for Salon, the Chicago Tribune, and the Guardian. He graduated as a Stabile Investigative Fellow from the Columbia Journalism School.

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