I just finished Generation Kill by Evan Wright. The basis of this book is the author's experience with Force Recon marines in Iraq as an embedded journalist.

It was originally published (partially) as articles in Rolling Stone.

I liked the book. It was a good read. BUT - the author makes various accusations about the marines in the book.

Radios- that don't work
Radios - that don't communicate with other units ( ie West coast based marines whose radios won't work with east coast based)
Poor leadership. ( careerist officers)
Improper use of troops - Recon trained marines doing convoy duty, fighting from lightly armored vehicles that they had to beg borrow and steal.
Poor supply of food and weapon lubricant because of Non-com's who were incompetent.

I have no axes to grind here with regard to the war, the war effort and the Marines. But, many times, while reading this book I was very pissed because it seems as if many old mistakes which should have been corrected were repeated.

It is sad, because the book really makes the military (especially officers) look like a bunch of idiots, especially at the grunt/groundpounder level.

It was written from a junior troops perspective, who never saw the big picture.  Also stories of peoples heroism and conversely mistakes are often blown out of proportion.

The radio issue is true, TF Tarawa was on there own fills, they couldn't talk to anyone via their tactical radios.  Supplies during the whole war were in short supply it was not unique to any unit.  Many units went days without food because moving ammo and fuel forward was more important than food.  There was a period during OIF that no one got mail for 30 days for this reason.

Quoted: It was written from a junior troops perspective, who never saw the big picture.  .

Yep.  AND it was written by a leftist who put his own spin on everything he saw and heard.  If someone spoke in unabashed support for the war, he did his best to make that person look like a fool.  If someone spoke against it, he was made to look like a good guy.