Generation Kill – Living dangerously on the road to Baghdad with the ultraviolent Marines of Bravo Company

by Benno Villinger

It must be said in advance that this book does not leave anybody cold, unless he is emotionless and callous. However, this book does not make a good reading for tender souls. Evan Wright, contributing editor on “Rolling Stone” magazine accompanied an elite unit of US Marine reconnaissance soldiers as a so-called “embedded” journalist as they spearheaded the blitzkrieg on Iraq. Irony of the circumstances: as Wright placed his satellite telephone at the disposal of the commander of the unit during his mission, he did not have to accompany a supply unit as had been planned, but could at his own wish accompany the First Reckon unit of Bravo company. Whether Lieutenant Colonel Ferrando still appreciated this exchange after the publication of Wright’s book may be doubted.

Wright does not fall for the consideration behind the idea of an “embedded journalist”, which is a certain comradeship after having experienced common threats. Wright reports truthfully, but does not, however, commit any act of betrayal towards the marines.

Wright’s report covers a six-week period from the beginning of the invasion to the conquest of Baghdad and up to the restless days after the conquest. In an objectively reserved language, he succeeds in providing the reader with an atmospherically dense and unadorned description of events, which does not conceal sympathy for the victims despite its reserve.

The soldiers, who Wright accompanies, represent the first generation of America’s “disposable children”, as he calls them. More than half of the men in the platoon come from broken homes and were raised by absentee, single, working parents. Many are on more intimate terms with video games, reality-TV-shows and internet-pornography than they are with own parents. They are also the first generation since the Viet Nam war going into an open-ended war, and they are inclined to regard the “big lie” (i.e. the statement that the Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction) as just a central element of American government politics like, for instance, the collection of taxes.

We know regards the Viet Nam war that large sectors of the American citizenship were against that war and that there was also enormous resistance among the soldiers who were liable for military service at the time. However, today’s army consists only of career soldiers. This, as well as the socialisation of today’s mercenaries as described above, has led to a completely different attitude and accordingly to different behaviour during the present war. Wright describes how the soldiers in the marshalling area almost ache to be finally allowed to go into action and how after combat individual soldiers cheer their hits. The highest approval then is “you are an ice-cold killer”.

Wright also reports that these “ice-cold killers” can likewise face situations in which they have tears in their eyes. Particularly impressive is a scene when a marine during an attack fatally wounds a young shepherd by mistake.

Gradually the reader gets to know a number of soldiers better, in particular the team which Wright accompanies in its Humvee (American military jeep). It is amazing to observe how these cynical and disillusioned soldiers out of compassion try to rescue injured civilians even though this involves a refusal to obey orders. Due to Wright’s report, some of these marines were later degraded because of their commitment to these civilians. The mad officers, whose absurd behaviour Wright reports on, get off scot-free however. The degraded soldiers are not at all mad at Wright. They point out that he only reports the truth and that they are proud of their courage.

If we compare the present situation in Iraq with the descriptions of the first days of the war, one recognizes that at that time developments were already emerging that are being realised today.

To conclude, here are two quotes of marines on the war in Iraq. Sgt Colbert (the group leader, in whose Humvee Wright rode along) says about his superiors: “They are screwing this up. Those fucking idiots. Don‘t they realize the world already hates us?” Another one comments after the conquest of Baghdad: “This place was fucked up before we came and it’s fucked up now. I personally don’t believe we ‘liberated’ the Iraqis. Time will tell.” The present situation in Iraq shows that he is quite right.

Evan Wright: Generation Kill – Living dangerously on the road to Baghdad with the ultraviolent Marines of Bravo Company. London, 2004, 354 pages, ISBN 0-593-05347-8