Naval War College Review Volume 60 Article 24 Number 3 Summer

2007 The eseD rter’s Tale: The tS ory of an Ordinary SoldierWho Walked Away from the War in Thomas Moore

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Recommended Citation Moore, Thomas (2007) "The eD serter’s Tale: The tS ory of an Ordinary SoldierWho Walked Away from the War in Iraq," Naval War College Review: Vol. 60 : No. 3 , Article 24. Available at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol60/iss3/24

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Moore: The Deserter’s Tale: The Story of an Ordinary SoldierWho Walked A BOOK REVIEWS 147

The 1980s saw the first true conflict be- internal barriers swept aside. Much has tween Islamic fundamentalists and a been done in the years since that clear, major power, the ten-year war waged blue Tuesday morning in September to by the mujahideen in Afghanistan after reconcile that environment. The other the Soviet invasion. The Soviet Union take-away is that Bin Laden and his ilk withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989, are more complex than their rhetoric having suffered an unexpected drub- would have us believe. His followers, bing. Emboldened by their victory however, see him as a devout Muslim, against one superpower, many muja- pure in thought and strident in deed, hideen, under the spiritual leadership of out to defend his faith from foreign in- Osama Bin Laden (who spent some time fluences bent on its destruction. So as in Afghanistan during the war), turned long as the United States remains en- to fighting the new threat to Islam posed gaged in that vital region, his likes will by the United States. The organization remain ever present and ever the threat. formed from disparate jihadist groups in DAVID L. TESKA Egypt, Iran, and Pakistan to meet this Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Reserve task was one whose name would become synonymous with the most violent form of anti-American Islamic fundamental- ism—al-Qa‘ida (the Base). Ironically, it

was the United States that, through the Key, Joshua, and . The Deserter’s CIA, had largely financed and equipped Tale: The Story of an Ordinary Soldier Who the mujahideen and other anti-Soviet Walked Away from the War in Iraq. New York: At- forces in Afghanistan. lantic Monthly, 2007. 237pp. $23 The Looming Tower is truly a book for Joshua Key is a young married man our time. The New York Times agrees; it with four children who joined the U.S. selected it as one of the ten best books Army to escape the grinding poverty of of 2006. Drawing upon expertise gained his life in Guthrie, Oklahoma. In 2003, from living and teaching in the Middle he was deployed to Iraq with the 43rd East, Wright has written a succinct and Combat Engineer Company. At the end engaging work on the history, religion, of seven months, Key had become so and temperament of a people who re- disillusioned with the Army and the Iraq main at best enigmatic to most Ameri- war that he deserted while on leave in cans. More importantly, Wright’s the United States. He ultimately made narrative characterizes the path to Sep- his way to to ask for asylum. tember 11th as a lengthy and convoluted Lawrence Hill, a Canadian writer and one, a journey that started long ago. The journalist, put Key’s story into coherent attacks on that day were the next step in form. an irrevocable conflict between elements Although the book is well written, it is of radical Islam and the country they saw actually hard to read, because of the as a threat to their existence. U.S. Army’s allegations of Key’s disloy- The lessons of The Looming Tower are alty, dishonesty, disrespect, selfishness, many. The United States can succeed in dishonor, lack of integrity, and coward- its fight against the radicals of Islam ice, particularly during his first deploy- only if it is completely united, with all ment with the 3rd Armored Cavalry

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148 NAVAL WARNaval COLLEGE War REVIEWCollege Review, Vol. 60 [2007], No. 3, Art. 24

Regiment to Iraq. Also, like others who questions that many may ask them- have served for many years in the mili- selves when reading this book. Further, tary, I find it tough to read about the as a result of this work these trouble- wrong-headed thinking and excuses of some allegations now reside in the pub- a deserter. lic domain. The Army should determine Yet this is a book that we must read, if the truth. The outcome will determine for no other reason than not to allow if the allegations are to be refuted or if Private Key’s allegations to go unan- serious soul-searching and significant swered. Consider, for example, that this changes in Army culture, training, and book sells in Costco’s and is listed as leadership must be pursued. one of its best sellers. The Deserter’s Tale does a credible job Is Joshua Key a weak man who was explaining Joshua Key’s action, and it pressured by his wife to desert, exagger- provides some serious food for thought ating or lying outright about his experi- about how the United States has been ence in Iraq to justify his and selecting, training, and leading its sol- gain sympathy from the Canadian au- diers. However, unfortunately, the book thorities? Or is Private Key a naive, fails to provide a good reason for Pri- trusting, moral man who could no lon- vate Key’s act of desertion.

ger stomach participation in a constant THOMAS MOORE series of immoral, unethical, and some- Monterey, California times illegal acts in Iraq? These are the

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