Review of “Not A Good Day to Die” by Sean Naylor

In every war there are specific battles we come to remember, game-changers that cause those involved to question their assumptions, tactics and strategy.  “Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda” gives us a glimpse into one of those battles.  In March of 2002, after several decisive victories over the Taliban, American forces narrowly escaped disaster in Afghanistan’s Shahikot Valley fighting a severely underestimated Al Qaida. Author Sean Naylor, a senior writer for the Army Times, goes into great detail revealing both the incredible heroism of many young soldiers, as well as, the shocking breakdowns in planning and execution among the highest levels of military leadership.

He describes a battle that showed the deadly limits of technology when operating in unfamiliar terrain, against an unconventional force, and under the watch of military commanders who had been lulled into a false sense of battlefield awareness.  As an eyewitness, Naylor’s account provides the type of scrutiny and on-the-scene reporting that makes generals queasy.  But, don’t get this confused with a sterile news story, “Not A Good Day to Die” has all the hallmarks of a, “Black Hawk Down”-style narrative with plenty of intense action.

Initially stymied by a deal struck between U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command that banned personnel from discussing Operation Anaconda with media, the author had to maneuver one bureaucratic roadblock after another, admitting in the forward that this book was not an easy one to report.

“Researching and explaining a complex and controversial operation fought by a dozen task forces was always going to be a challenge, despite the advantage I enjoyed having been present at the rehearsals for and some of the combat during Operation Anaconda. But even I, after thirteen years of covering the military, had not expected to find so many obstacles placed in my path by a handful of individuals with reputations to protect.” pg. xi

What happened in the Shahikot Valley that made leaders so unwilling to talk?  That’s exactly what Naylor sets out to explain.  First, was the huge intelligence gap that no one grasped until it was too late. Despite constant UAV coverage, hi-tech signals reconnaissance and multiple NSA resources being directed towards piecing together an accurate picture of the enemy and battlefield, the soldiers went in extremely blind to the realities of what they would be facing. The big takeaway, a glaring lack of reliable human intelligence and a terribly inefficient system to share intelligence among the various services and branches involved.

Second, the people making most of the decisions where the ones furthest away from the battlefield. Rather than trusting the men on the ground to lead the fight, generals glued to live predator feeds thousands of miles away felt qualified to direct various forces of which they had very little contact or understanding.  A centralized command structure trying to keep up with a constantly changing enemy spelled disaster from the beginning.  Take for example an episode on the eve of battle where Major General Franklin “Buster” Hagenback, 10th Mtn Division commander requested additional air strikes based on new intelligence from the field.

“General Hagenback said, ‘Hey, bomb these frickin’ things,’ recalled Mikolashek, who was also in the VTC.  This request provoked what Mikolshek described as ‘a little consternation’ on the part of CENTCOM participants in general…”Hey, you guys said you wanted this many targets bombed, and not it’s all of a sudden this many.  What are you doing?’ was how Mikolshek characterized Renuart’s response…

In the end Renuart and Central Command said they would try to arrange the additional air strikes.  But Renuart’s initial reaction suggested that Central Command was not postured to quickly adapt to changing battlefield circumstances.” pg. 187

As often happens in war, the Captains and Sergeants were called upon to not only defeat the enemy, but overcome the lackluster planning of their superiors.  And to this end they did remarkably well.  If half of this book is about the failures of those at the top, the other half is a glowing report of the courageous and cool-headed conduct of those on the front lines.

Between various Spec Ops recon teams that climbed thousands of feet into “unpassable” mountains to gain critical intel, to CIA members stationed in-country who impressed everyone with their intricate knowledge of the area, to Air Force Pararescuemen like Senior Airman Jason Cunningham who was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross for his exemplary conduct in helping save the lives of 10 wounded soldiers, to members of the 101st Airborne and 10th Mountain Division that acted with lethal professionalism as they were flown into clouds of bullets – this book shows the best of our military as well.  It is a fitting toast to those who risk their lives on a daily basis and a story that will be told for many years to come.

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