The Dogs Are Eating Them Now: Our War in Afghanistan

The Dogs Are Eating Them Now chronicles journalist Graeme Smith's experiences covering the war in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2011 as a correspondent for The Globe and Mail. The book offers a ground-level view of the conflict through Smith's reporting in Kandahar Province and his interactions with soldiers, civilians, and Taliban fighters. Smith's account moves between combat operations, political meetings, and daily life in war-torn southern Afghanistan. His reporting includes investigations into Canadian military activities, discussions with local tribal leaders, and observations of how the NATO mission evolved over years of fighting. The narrative tracks the progression of the war from initial optimism to mounting challenges and complications. Through interviews and first-hand accounts, Smith documents the relationships between foreign forces, Afghan government officials, and local populations. The book serves as both a personal memoir and a critical examination of Western military intervention in Afghanistan. Smith's account raises questions about the nature of modern warfare and the gap between strategic planning and ground-level realities in conflict zones.

Readers describe this as a raw, unflinching account of the Afghanistan war from 2005-2011. Many appreciate Smith's first-hand reporting and candid admissions about the war's failures and miscalculations. Readers highlight: - Detailed personal stories and interviews with locals - Clear explanations of complex tribal dynamics - Honest assessment of Canadian military efforts - Quality of writing and storytelling Common criticisms: - Jumps between timeframes can be confusing - Some sections feel repetitive - Limited scope (focuses mainly on Kandahar) - More context needed about broader political decisions Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (439 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (54 ratings) Sample reader comment: "Smith doesn't preach or moralize - he simply shows what he saw and lets readers draw their own conclusions about the effectiveness of the mission." - Goodreads reviewer The book won the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction and was a Globe and Mail Top 100 Book.

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🔹 Author Graeme Smith spent more time in southern Afghanistan than any other Western journalist, covering the region from 2005 to 2011 as a correspondent for The Globe and Mail. 🔹 The book's haunting title comes from a specific incident where dogs were found eating Taliban corpses after a battle - a powerful metaphor for the war's brutality and chaos. 🔹 Smith conducted more than 150 video interviews with Taliban fighters for his "Talking to the Taliban" series, providing rare direct insights into the insurgency's perspective. 🔹 The book won multiple prestigious awards, including the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction and British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction. 🔹 While reporting, Smith lived in a Kandahar compound nicknamed "The Fort," which housed various journalists and aid workers, and became a hub for gathering firsthand accounts of the conflict's impact on local communities.