Alpha

Eddie Gallagher and the War for the Soul of the Navy SEALs

De: David Philipps

Narrado por: Andrew Eiden

An “infuriating, fast-paced” (The Washington Post) account of the Navy SEALs of Alpha platoon, the startling accusations against their chief, Eddie Gallagher, and the courtroom battle that exposed the dark underbelly of America’s special forces—from a Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter

WINNER OF THE COLORADO BOOK AWARD • “Nearly impossible to put down.”—Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author of Where Men Win Glory and Into the Wild

In this “brilliantly written” (The New York Times Book Review) and startling account, Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times correspondent David Philipps reveals a powerful moral crucible, one that would define the American military during the years of combat that became known as “the forever war.”

When the Navy SEALs of Alpha platoon returned from their 2017 deployment to Iraq, a group of them reported their chief, Eddie Gallagher, for war crimes, alleging that he’d stabbed a prisoner in cold blood and taken lethal sniper shots at unarmed civilians. The story of Alpha’s war, both in Iraq and in the shocking trial that followed the men’s accusations, would complicate the SEALs’ post-9/11 hero narrative, turning brothers-in-arms against one another and bringing into stark relief the choice that elite soldiers face between loyalty to their unit and to their country.

One of the great stories written about American special forces, Alpha is by turns a battlefield drama, a courtroom thriller, and a compelling examination of how soldiers define themselves and live with the decisions in the heat of combat.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Meticulously assembled and brilliantly written . . . [a] remarkable and engrossing book.”—The New York Times

“A dogged researcher and gifted writer, Philipps turns the story of Gallagher’s rise, his alleged war crimes and the botched Navy prosecution into an infuriating, fast-paced thriller.”—The Washington Post

“Shakespearean . . . An excellent read from a seasoned reporter who covered the entire saga [of] Eddie Gallagher.”—The San Diego Union-Tribune

“Alpha is an important, infuriating, meticulously researched account of modern warfare that I found nearly impossible to put down.”—Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author of Where Men Win Glory and Into the Wild

“This is one of the best books to come out of the Iraq war. It is also one of the saddest. There have been many books about Navy SEALs and snipers, but Alpha is by far the most important. I think it will be required reading for the Navy, as Black Hearts has become for the Army. Anyone who cares about the American military needs to read this.”—Thomas E. Ricks, bestselling author of Fiasco, First Principles, and The Generals

“This is a book to make your blood boil. Expertly reported and written, Alpha details a truly shameful national episode, and stands as a powerful corrective for those who mistake cruelty for toughness and equate war with murder.”—Mark Bowden, New York Times bestselling author of Black Hawk Down and Hue 1968

“Alpha is a phenomenally reported, deeply compelling portrait of moral courage and moral cowardice in the SEAL Teams. Philipps details not simply the many failures of leadership within SEAL ranks that enabled war crimes, jeopardized the mission, and risked the lives of service members, but also the culture that made accountability almost impossible. Superb.”—Phil Klay, National Book Award–winning author of Missionaries and Redeployment

“An enthralling, blow-by-blow account of the 2019 court-martial of U.S. Navy SEAL platoon chief Eddie Gallagher for stabbing a wounded ISIS prisoner to death . . . [Philipps] recounts the shocking events . . . in riveting detail. This is the definitive portrait of a saga that exposed deep fault lines within an elite fighting force.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

very good book

I spent a lot of time listening to this book. I normally try to stretch them out so I don't run out of books to listen to, but I found myself wanting to hear more and chose it over my daily radio shows. it gave me a clear understanding of the NAVY SEALS culture and a better understanding of what really happened that was not in the news. i follow politics closely and didn't know of all the details in this book. I normally listen to political history and undercover agent stories. this was very interesting.

Well told

Great read. The moral struggle and the courage to do the right thing. Reminds me of Lone Survivor

Should be Required Reading

A manual for why doing the right thing is important, even in small things. I learned a lot.

Character and Integrity displayed by the few

I appreciate the research that went into this book, and the documentation and exposure of one of the most brazen and seemingly successful narcissistic sociopaths I’ve ever studied. Mandatory leadership reading to educate on the necessity of character, integrity, humility, and professionalism in the ranks to stop toxicity, corrosiveness, and corruption before it becomes entrenched

This will change any positive view of Eddie Gallagher

This book exposes Eddie Gallagher for what he is. Its power, damning and compelling.
This book made me change my view of Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher.

A shame...

It is a shame more of this info wasn't out for public consumption during the trial and subsequent fallout.

Anyone who has served in a premiere combat unit in the GWOT knows a senior leader like EG, unfortunately.

As a former Army Sniper, those descriptions surrounding the shooting just ring true to me. From shooting the wall around the loop hole to firing shots and claiming kills. I implore anyone in a dust covered desert environment to go set up a hide in a blown out building and take shots at 750 meters and call your own hits. Goodluck with the dust and the subsequent calls on your non human steel targets that don't move or run or scatter when you shoot at them.

The saying, "Real recognizes real" rings true here.

Hopefully the masses will read this and realize what a turd this dude really is. I feel bad for his kids and for the guys rolled in the wake left behind by this.

Garbage

Completely biased and poorly done. Phillips is a hack. Clearly this book is based on entirely too much conjecture to be given any credence. Listen to this if you want to hear a narrator affect comically caricatures of the SEALs who were “interviewed” for this drivel. Would avoid

Riveting profile

The story is riveting and reads well. The ending was moving and I found myself rooting for ‘the sheriff’ and other Seals from the platoon knowing they likely experienced a lot of internal turmoil during this process. As a psychologist I found the details Chief Gallagher’s behavior across multiple domains to be more telling than the culminating event. It doesn’t make him a “bad” person but it was clear how he was a product of this environment and how easily he had drifted. Really well done.

Conum Conumdrum on Stetoids

A compelling story told with seemingly credible sources to produce logical conclusions and not hypothetical bravado braggadociia and self serving motives. Will next read Gallagher's book to get horses mouth side of the story, although I suspect it will be self serving and introduced thru this book.

I have a new take on the Seals and culture it demands and produces. I liken this story to an iuncomfortable decision offering rock vs hard place as it's outcome. A decision between morals vs convenience as competing forces as seen from a total picture vantage point. The fact that a high road "fix'" was inserted into Seal training to guide leaders thru similar situations is admirable. Every organization and individual can benefit from inward introspection toward improvement. I liken this story and it's consequential actions to the debate over terrorism and Islamists jihady interpretation of Islam. Bad things happen but we can't criticize or honestly look at causation that comes from within. So sad.

Posing as a warrior but only wanting to kill

Essentially Eddie needed a freedom to be a pirate, which he couldn't find in the civilian world.