Including interviews with military top brass, from commanding officers to general petreaus himself, this book reveals the disturbing chasm between official rhetoric and the situation on the ground. A recipient of the foreign press award, he was born in middlesbrough, educated at bedford modern school and now lives in brooklyn, new york. Ben s agreed to meet me in a much safer region of the world central london to talk about his book and documentary, which has just been nominated for three emmy awards in the states. His first book, based on 300 hours of footage he shot while embedded in afghanistan, is no worse enemy. The marines in marjah admitted to me that many of the alp they were singing up and putting on the payroll were probably taliban. The battle for marjah is an hbo documentary written, filmed and produced by ben anderson, 1 covering the efforts of bravo company, 1st battalion, 6th marine regiment, in operation moshtarak. No worse enemy share book recommendations with your friends. References external links official website the battle for marjah at the internet movie database it has been. Feb 15, 2010 a combined force of 15,000 soldiers, including 4,400 afghans, is taking part in a major assault on the taliban in the poppygrowing areas of the helmand river valley. The inside story of the chaotic struggle for afghanistan. In june 2010, four months after the fighting to secure the citys center ended, anderson returned to marjah and the men of bravo company. Marjah is the largest battle fought thus far in the afghan war.
A hunt for a deadly sniper from two perspectives the new. Journalist ben anderson, who spent two months with the american forces, offers an extraordinarily intimate look at the brutal realities of modernday warfare. No worse enemy share book recommendations with your. Feb, 2015 the battle for marjah was not restricted to one period of time, or one unit it was ongoing, and a great many american and allied forces were injured or killed trying to succeed at an. Operation moshtarak, the biggest operation since the start of the afghanistan war, whose main target was the taliban stronghold of marjah, a town in helmand province.
The chilling modern classic on the disastrous war in afghanistan, now available in paperback. On february, 2010, americanled coalition forces launched the biggest military operation since the beginning of the afghanistan war. However, this book brings a lot of truth about the war in afghanistan to light. Ben anderson on vice news tonight official website of the.
Hbo documentary films continues its commitment to groundbreaking films in the first half of 2011. I ordered this book based off of how well the authors documentary, battle for marjah accurately portrayed what is taking place over here. The battle for marjah was not restricted to one period of time, or one unit it was ongoing, and a great many american and allied forces were injured or killed trying to succeed at an. These days ben travels relentlessly as a senior producer and. Critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker ben anderson panorama an. He has presented five of his own series for bbc2, and is a regular reporter for panorama and dispatches. No worse enemy, the book he wrote about his experience as a war journalist filming battle for marjah comes out in paperback this month. Hbo documentary lineup for 2011 entertainment news. The battle for marjah was a documentary aired on hbo following 1st battalion, 6th marines in the initial assault, by ben anderson. Jul 02, 2012 ben anderson is a bafta award nominated documentary filmmaker and journalist. Following five years of an embedded media assignment with the british army and u. His career highlights include making the documentaries, holidays in the axis of evil, taking on the taliban, the violent. The battle for marjah is an hbo documentary written, filmed and produced by ben anderson, covering the efforts of bravo company, 1st battalion, 6th marine regiment, in operation moshtarak.
The battle for marjah, an afghan war film, on hbo the. Ben anderson his films include holidays in the axis of evil, this is what what winning looks like and battle for marjah, which later became a book, no worse enemy. Ben anderson is an awardwinning filmmaker holidays in the axis of evil, the battle for marjah and writer who has been covering the war in southern. The battle for marjah cast and characters tv guide. Breaking news the battle for marjah, the harrowing story. The most comprehensive and gripping account of the afghan war, by a bbc journalist. The battle for marjah, an hbo documentary of a campaign to wipe out the taliban in a slice of afghanistan, is a chronicle of hopelessness. Marines, documentary filmmaker anderson hbos the battle for marjah.
Sherard cowpercoles, former british ambassador to afghanistan, praised the book as, the truth about the afghan war, from a. Ben andersons no worse enemy is a gripping account of the war in afghanistan circa 2009. For those who fought in marjah, it was more than just a battle. Operation moshtarak dari for together or joint, also known as the battle of marjah, an international security assistance force isaf pacification offensive in the town of marjah, helmand province, afghanistan.
Operation moshtarak in marjah, afghanistan world news the. For two months, vbs correspondent ben anderson got to know the american forces behind operation moshtarak and filmed the brutal realities of their life on the front lines. His war dispatches have been published in the guardian magazine and gq uk. Feb 17, 2011 the battle for marjah, an hbo documentary of a campaign to wipe out the taliban in a slice of afghanistan, is a chronicle of hopelessness.
Ben anderson, director of the documentary the battle for marjah, talks about the historic battle in afghanistan. Thomas gibbonsneff and ben anderson the new york times. The battle for marjah hbo documentary marines in afghanistan. In this gripping film, journalist ben anderson follows the counterinsurgency mission, as the 272 marines are flown in via plane and dropped into the center of marjah. The battle for marjah by anthony wonke anthony wonke, ben.
Its a good book written from the perspective of a british journalist and documentary filmmaker the documentary. Ben anderson is a producer and writer, known for the battle for marjah 2010, vice 20 and 6000. Journalist ben anderson tells the story of bravo company, 1st battalion, 6th marines, and its commanding officer, captain ryan sparkscontainer. The battle for marjah dvd greene county public library. Jun 04, 20 ben anderson is an awardwinning filmmaker holidays in the axis of evil, the battle for marjah and writer who has been covering the war in southern afghanistan since 2007.
Embedded journalist ben anderson s chronicle of operation moshtarak, an offensive by u. In his book, anderson writes of a corrupt and incompetent afghan army and the lie from washington that marjah was an afghanled. At the center of it all was the first battalion of the bravo company, 6th marines, led by the heroic captain ryan sparks. In this powerful account, awardwinning journalist ben anderson tells the story of bravo company, 1st battalion, 6th marines, and its commanding officer, captain ryan sparks. An updated version of his book, no worse enemy, is out now in paperback, and he recently released a new film on titled this is what winning. President in eugene jareckis reagan, to the front lines of one of the biggest operations of the afghanistan war in ben andersons the battle of marjah, to the deadliest industrial disaster in new york city history in daphne pinkersons triangle. If you desire to fully understand what is really happening on the ground in afghanistan, this book is a must read. Ben anderson s hbo documentary the battle for marjah, recently released on dvd and bluray by athena, shows why. This is a first hand look behind the headlines at the reality of the difficult challenges british and american infantry face in modern, bloody counterinsurgency warfare operations. Sep 07, 2015 i recently spoke with journalist, filmmaker, and author ben anderson about his recent episode of vice on hbo. The most intense fighting footage and the best anatomy of a battle. Let me start by saying i am currently working with the afghan police in helmand. Documentary looks at harsh realities of modernday warfare.
Ben anderson is a bafta award nominated documentary filmmaker and journalist. Ben anderson born 19751976 is a british journalist, television reporter, and writer. Bens agreed to meet me in a much safer region of the world central london to talk about his book and documentary, which has just been nominated for three emmy awards in the states. Anderson s documentation of this extremely dangerous, sometimes tragic mission was aired earlier this year on hbo films as the battle for marjah, and it is a most timely and important piece of journalism, bringing us real, urgent news and showing us the things we badly need to see are happening, as we go about our business back home, in the. Television reporter ben anderson spent over five years embedded with. Tells the story of operation moshtarak, the biggest operation since the start of the afghanistan war, whose main target was the taliban stronghold of marjah. Counterinsurgency is a political war as much as a shooting war, and politics in afghanistan are even tougher than they are in iraq. Jul 10, 2012 ben anderson shows us gripping video from the half decade he spent on the front line of battle in the war in afghanistan. In 2010 he wrote, filmed and produced the battle for marjah for hbochannel four and in 2011 he made the battle for bomb alley for bbc1, which followed us marines as they struggled to reclaim the district of sangin in afghanistan. I recently spoke with journalist, filmmaker, and author ben anderson about.
Ben anderson on vice news tonight official website of. In 2010 he wrote, filmed and produced the battle for marjah for hbochannel four and in 2011. In a career spanning fourteen years, he has filmed and presented over forty films for the bbc, hbo, channel 4, and the discovery channel. May 14, 20 ben anderson is an acclaimed journalist and documentary filmmaker. Last year, as the us marines cleared buildings in marjah, afghanistan, i caught. Journalist ben anderson, who spent two months with the american forces, offers an extraordinarily intimate look at the brutal realities of modernday warfare in the harrowing documentary the battle for marjah, debuting thursday, feb. In addiction to chronicling the operation, the battle for marjah asks whether the policy is a.
In this powerful account, awardwinning journalist ben anderson tells the story of bravo. Anderson has produced, filmed, and directed many hardhitting featurelength documentaries for hbo, including the battle for marjah, which won a history makers award, a marine corps heritage foundation award, and was a finalist for three emmys. The battle for marjah is based on part of this book who has been visiting afghanistan off and on for the last few years. He has filmed, presented and produced over 40 films, including the battle for marjah for hbo films. Its main target was the taliban stronghold of marjah. The battle for marjah film wikimili, the free encyclopedia. There is nothing to keep alp groups from entering into similar arrangements. Informed by more than 300 hours of firsthand frontline footage with the u. Ben anderson and anthony wonke the battle of the bulge. It was predicted to become the model for how to win the war. In his film, afghanistan after us, anderson chronicled the current state of the afghan local police.
Information, interviews, photos and more for ben anderson on the hbo original. Ben anderson is an acclaimed journalist and documentary filmmaker. Ben anderson presents the reader with an extraordinary account of the tragedies in the afghanistan war. Everything you always wanted to know about war reporting but were. A discussion with ben anderson of vice about the war in. The battle for marjah, an afghan war film, on hbo the new. Reading the book made me want to facepalm every five minutes. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Grit, strategy, and the way out of afghanistan by bing west dedicates several chapters to the assault on marjah, base on wests experiences while embedded with tf 34205 with a focus on oda. Ben anderson on vice news tonight official website of the hbo. He has presented five of his own series for bbc2, and is. Etpt, exclusively on hbo, marking the first anniversary of this historic battle.
Breaking news the battle for marjah, the harrowing. Operation moshtarak, the biggest operation since the start of the afghanistan war. The battle for marjah, the harrowing story of the u. The long read confessions of a war reporter esquire. The battle for marjah is an hbo documentary written, filmed and produced by ben anderson, covering the efforts of bravo company, 1st battalion, 6th marine regiment, in operation moshtarak references. Libri in altre lingue passa al contenuto principale iscriviti a prime. Ben anderson is a correspondent and senior producer for the multiawardwinning vice on hbo series and is based in brooklyn. Marines battle to liberate a key afghanistan town, debuts feb. At the battles outset, sparks and the 272 men of bravo are flown 12 miles and dropped into the center of marjah, where the taliban lie in. A discussion with ben anderson of vice about the war in afghanistan.
The battle for marjah dvd king county library system. Aug 17, 2017 his fulllength documentaries include this is what what winning looks like and battle for marjah, which later became a book, no worse enemy. Follow bravo company, 1st battalion, 6th marines into the heart of the war in afghanistan. Their target was the town of marjah, a taliban stronghold in southern afghanistan. Sep 21, 2011 the hbo documentary the battle for marjah chronicling the exploits of bravo company, 1st battalion, 6th marine regiment, 2nd marine division during operation moshtarak. The battle for marjah, an afghan war film, on hbo the new york. Ben anderson, anthony wonke, gregor lyon, ben anderson, guy davies, nancy abraham, sheila nevins, ben anderson. The battle for marjah is based on part of this book who. Like a fractal, the stupidity exists at every single zoom level.
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