Sunday, April 24, 2016

13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff

I was hoping to have written this yesterday, but oh well.  Let's talk about September 11, 2012. The eleventh anniversary of 9/11.



I don’t usually read non-fiction books, but as the film came out earlier this year I wanted to read its source material. What I enjoyed about 13 Hours is that it was written by a man who received first hand accounts of the people who were actually there. He didn't simply research the events and write what happened based on what he researched. 

“People in America get up and go to their nine-to-five jobs every day and are oblivious to all these battles and wars and people dying every minute all over the world. This is life. This is how other countries live. This is a daily occurrence in some places.” 



September 11, 2012: U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens is in Benghazi. He's staying in a secure, secret place called the Compound. Benghazi is in Libya, a small country that's poor and full of political issues. 

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

The compound was protected by local militiamen. Although local, the men promised to protect the U.S. Citizens living in the compound and the compound itself if needed.

When the compound was attacked, a group of brave men saved as many of the people in the compound as they could while also defending the Annex as they waited to be rescued. The Annex was located about a mile away from the Compound and it housed retired members of the military who now worked for the CIA ready to provide military defense if ever needed.

 


There's no bias for or against the people said to be responsible. The story is the truth of what happened told by the people who were actually there. It was fantastic to read.

“The attackers had used one of the oldest and most potent weapons of warfare: surprise.” 

The film adaptation stars John Krasinski. The film also stars James Badge Dale, Pablo Schreiber, David Denman, Dominic Fumasa, and Max Martini. Directed by Michael Bay it received raving audience reviews. I haven't had a chance to watch this film. It premiered while I was in New York and I didn't get a chance to see it.



If you're interested in what happened in Benghazi this is a must read. If you're not familiar with what happened, now is your chance to find out. It's a crucial part of our history and one we should all be aware of.

For more reviews visit: lluviareviews.blogspot.com

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