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adam_mcphee 's review for:
The Taliban Don't Wave
by Robert Semrau
An interesting book and one of the few I know of that shows a Canadian perspective on the war in Afghanistan. Like most good military memoirs, it comes with the trade off of an interesting experience as told by someone who isn't really a writer. There's enough exclamation points per page to last anyone else a lifetime, and he has a tendency to mix his popculture metaphors.
Semrau skips over his trial (he was acquitted on charges related to a mercy killing he performed) in favour of describing his time as part of the OMLT (Operational Mentoring Liaison Team) group training Afghan soldiers. The Afghan soldiers aren't interested in sticking their necks out – and who can blame them? The OMLT forces have to word commands as suggestions, for fear of upsetting their soldiers' honour, which often leads them to deserting or worse. It's kind of a shame, because Semrau has the opportunity to get upclose with the Afghan soldiers, but can't often find stories to tell other than their staggering incompetence on the battlefield or their occasional gratefulness for Canadian gear.
Semrau skips over his trial (he was acquitted on charges related to a mercy killing he performed) in favour of describing his time as part of the OMLT (Operational Mentoring Liaison Team) group training Afghan soldiers. The Afghan soldiers aren't interested in sticking their necks out – and who can blame them? The OMLT forces have to word commands as suggestions, for fear of upsetting their soldiers' honour, which often leads them to deserting or worse. It's kind of a shame, because Semrau has the opportunity to get upclose with the Afghan soldiers, but can't often find stories to tell other than their staggering incompetence on the battlefield or their occasional gratefulness for Canadian gear.