The Mirror Test: America at War in Iraq and Afghanistan

Fact#1: I am not a US Citizen neither am I Afghan or Iraqui Fact#2: I live and always lived in Central America Fact#3: Im not a big non fiction reader Why those facts? I put them here because If one of those were the contraire I would be a logical and potential reader of «The Mirror Test». As it is not the case, I have to say marvelous situations brought me to this book, so I bought an e-copy from Amazon and started it. J. Kael Weston wrote a marvelous book, the book is divided in three big sections and a epilogue: 1. «The Wrong War» 2. «The Right War» 3. «Home» Epilogue. «After War» I have to say the first two sections are my favorite, both are so vivid that when you read them is hard to believe you are reading non-fiction; You are there and you can't stop turning pages and get surprised about what you are reading- J.K. Weston is a person of a great personality and deep thinking, a humanitarian, that you can tell from his decisions and opinions through the book; My reason to mention this is because one of the main reasons I get motivated to read non-fiction once in a while is that I always look forward to the learning experience, a conversation with a great mind, this author doesn't dissapoint you in that sense, you learn a lot. I have to mention: «Home» was my least favorite section, maybe is because it was afar from the wars and the unknown (the adventure, the danger), however that doesn't mean it is bad. As I like jogging I can relate it with that moment after a long run when you walk to relax, you still have the adrenaline, but is time for a reflexion, the real Mirror Test for America with his big population, big and small graveyards, shopping malls, museums and cities. Were this a fiction book I'd probably give 4.4 stars to it (a very honest rating), however I personally think it requires a lot of courage to write about the things he wrote about in this book. This is an important book, and even if it was not written to talk about my country or a war where my country is fighting. I believe is a must read for anyone who has a bit of conscience for this world.

Powerful. I've read a lot (100+) of military history/political intrigue books and this is right up at the top of the list. I consider it a must read. The experiences conveyed by the author are sobering and many times hard to get through. In a day with so many rah-rah shoot'm up books, with very little focus on the personal sacrifices of war. This book is a refreshing, as it is a deeply personal look at how war affects people at all levels of involvement, from the most powerful Presidents, Politicians, Generals, Diplomats, to the Grunts tasked with carrying out the will of the nation. I really respect that this book shows us what happens to the other side when the might of the US Military is unleashed. It gives voice to those who never have a platform from which to speak. For example, the views of a young boy left to watch-over his grandfather, who refused to leave his ancestral home in Fallujah, and was killed (collateral damage) as a result. No blame on the US or condemnation from the boy just the realization that War is ugly and his only request, that his grandfather be given a proper burial. The rational side of me says, he was told to leave and he should have. But I can't help feel for the boy and what toll the war had on him and his family. The book really got me to think and ask questions of myself. Would I leave my home if a foreign power told me to do so? Would I be willing to give my life to better my community (like many of the Fallujah city council and those in Afghanistan were willing to do)... This book covers more ground and has more depth than any I've read to date concerning the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is truly a heart wrenching first hand look at the affects of war; the death and destruction, the aftermath and most importantly, what comes after the guns are silenced and people return to rebuild their lives, both here in America and in the Middle East. This will be a book I will have my sons read when they are old enough to understand true sacrifice and War (sometimes necessary and often times not).

Kael Weston provides a unique and complete viewpoint of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A viewpoint that blends many different and necessary perspectives for all citizens to understand. If it is the military’s duty to protect our great Nation, then it should be a civilian’s duty to read and understand war – in all of its brutality and tragedy, as well as those moments of great compassion and the most honorable and desirable traits humanity can possess. Kael’s book brings that to the reader – the costs, the victories, and tragedies on both sides of the conflict – from a political perspective, a civilian’s perspective, as well as a Service member’s perspective. Reading this book will enhance your life and provide clarity to the “30 second sound-bytes” of infotainment that shaped so many ill-informed opinions about Iraq and Afghanistan. Take the journey with Kael – and you will better understand the world we are storming into – and quite possibly, make a more informed argument with the case for/against military action in the future. As a fellow citizen, we owe this to the men and women who pay the price for our freedom. As a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, we deserve the attention and understanding of all citizens to this most important undertaking of the State.

I don't have a lot of time to sit and read, but this book kept me interested and informed. Not sure I agree with everything that was commented on but that's alright. promotes some good conversation. Will recommend.

The quality of the writing and the insight in "The Mirror Test" are reflected in the ingenuity of the title. The metaphor shows the agonizing passage a wounded fighter must endure in seeing his or her own image during the recovery process, but also speaks clearly and shockingly to the need of America to view its actions in the Middle East. Kael Weston is the story teller, but the book is not about him but rather about what he saw and experienced. The gruesome reality of wounded marines, of wounded Iraqis and Afghans and their families are only a part of what he shows us but a part we can't easily ignore. He serves as a guide, letting us see visiting dignitaries and their behavior, brutal suffering of local civilians, and the agonies of trying, as a State Department officer, to bring calm good sense to our relationship with Iraqis and Afghans. "The Mirror Test" is not a quick read, but it is a profound one. It brought into focus a reality that, as a retiree with plenty of pleasure reading, I had pretty much been able to ignore. Most books that help clarify US actions in wars come long after those wars are over. Robert McNamara's account of his role in the agonizing mistakes in Vietnam, "In Retrospect:The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam" was published in 1995, long after Vietnam was history. Kael Weston's book may help us see clearly the US role in the Middle East before it ends. I don't think anyone can read "The Mirror Test" and not be changed, not be more aware of America's role in the world and the effects of that role.

By far one of the best books on the struggles both our military and civilian members dealt with in Iraq and Afghanistan. Kael Weston's book should be mandatory reading for all senior policy makers to better understand the challenges and costs of committing our nation to war...any war. I encourage any reader to take the time to read through the list of names Mr. Weston lists of the fallen service members....read the names and look at their hometowns. He does an incredible job of memorializing their sacrifice and reminding all of us the cost of war is always steep for those who serve, and those families who must continue on after their loved ones have been killed in action. As a veteran of multiple tours to Iraq and one who now has the time to reflect and study the impact of these continuing wars, I cannot recommend this book enough. I also encourage anyone interested in gaining a deeper perspective of our civil-military relations and interaction on the ground to read this book. I have not found a better example of the inherent challenges and benefits that effective civil-military relations in a war zone bring with it. The only other book close to this is Emma Sky's fantastic work, "The Unraveling". Thank you Kael for this fantastic work.

For anyone who truly seeks to understand the nature of the longest war in our nation's history - this is a must read! Kael Weston provides a first hand account of seven years of wartime experience on the front lines of Iraq and Afghanistan. Many books have been written about this war; but none capture the raw and personal stories of the individuals who fight them as well as "The Mirror Test" . As a front line diplomat, Kael was in a unique position to interact with everyone from privates to generals, truck drivers to diplomats, and detainees to family members of the deceased. Having had the honor of accompanying Kael on just one year of his seven year journey, I can attest to the accuracy of his reporting and the strength of his character. He is an honored member of the "strongest tribe". For those who have served overseas, I think you will find his account moving and helpful to making sense of our time "in the sand box".

J. Kael Weston's take on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars is personal and moral. He was not a soldier but a State department official who worked closely with the military attempting to engage the people of both countries on the ground. Thus he has to confront complicated conflicts arising from a western society meeting eastern peoples whose culture and religion have few parallels with American experience. His sensitivities are profound; his awareness of his own limitations are ever present while he tries to report and explain the social distances which must be bridged. The fact that a native citizen cooperating with American military may cost his or her life is ever-present. When Weston returns from his diplomatic assignments he engages in a kind of pilgrimage to the graves of soldiers he knew who were killed serving in the Marines and Army in both wars. His visits to the small towns of the Mid-west and Far-west of the USA are some of the most moving portions of his book, not least because I know of no other memoir which includes such records of the mortality these questionable conflicts have cost our country.