While this is a story about heroism, suffering, patriotism, and the kindness of strangers, it is also an indictment of American liberals, specifically the liberal media.

Marcus Luttrell was part of a four man sniper team sent to Afghanistan in a remote area near the Pakistan border, to find, track, and collect intelligence on a high-ranking Taliban leader with close ties to Osama Bin Laden. A group of goat herders happen upon the team and a decision must be made -- kill the goat herders, or let them go and risk them talking to the Taliban.

The decision the team made was based on fear, not fear of the Taliban, but fear of the liberal media back home. The decision to let the goat herders go was based on the present Rules of Engagement, and resulted in the deaths of three Seals, and the deaths of others who attempted to rescue these brave men.

AN EXCERPT:

..........."When they find these bodies, the Taliban leaders will sing to the Afghan media. The media in the U.S.A. will latch on to it and write stuff about the brutish U.S. Armed Forces. Very shortly after that, we'll be charged with murder. The murder of innocent unarmed Afghan farmers." [Mikey]

I had to admit, I had not really thought about it quite like that. But there was a terrible reality about Mikey's words. Was I afraid of the Taliban? No. Was I afraid of the liberal media back in the U.S.A.? Yes. And I suddenly flashed on the prospect of many, many years in a U.S. civilian jail alongside murders and rapists.

And yet ... as a highly trained member of the U.S. Special Forces, deep in my warrior's soul I knew it was nuts to let these goatherds go. I tried to imagine what the great military figures of the past would have done. Napoleon? Patton? Omar Bradley? MacArthur? Would they have made the ice-cold military decision to execute these cats because they posed a clear and present danger to their men?".................

Lone Survivor is the personal story of Marcus Luttrell's week-long fight for survival from the Taliban, his fight to survive from his many injuries, and the surprising group that comes to his aid. I highly recommend this book. It is well written, touching. Emotionally, the reader goes from pride in our military, to anger at the decisions they are unnecessarily forced to make.