Siren's Song: The Allure of War

by Antonio Salinas

"First you will come to the Sirens who enchant all who come near them. If anyone unwarily draws in too close and hears the singing of the Sirens, his wife and children will never welcome him home again, for they sit in a green field and warble him to death with the sweetness of their song. "There is a great heap of dead men's bones lying all around, with the flesh still rotting off them. Therefore pass these Sirens by, and stop your men's ears with wax that none of them may hear." (Odyssey. Book 12, 188-191). Everyone dreams. However, some of us dream about a nightmare that is a timeless character in war. The Siren’s Song of war has a hold upon much of mankind, in that some of us are drawn to it like nothing else. Some of us fantasize about this experience called war. We read books, watch movies, and play video games about combat. Some wonder if they’d be brave enough to face the enemy and stare death in its face. Others wonder what the sound of a bullet flying overhead makes or how it feels to lay eyes upon the enemy for the first time. Do you wonder what war is like? This is a story of one man who was captivated by the Siren’s call to war. The Sirens of war awaited him in the Pesh River Valley of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. There in Kunar, he finally learned the truth about war. If you are curious about this nightmare, or perhaps lived through it yourself, you are welcome to share in this journey. You will walk amongst the training grounds and experience war. These are one man’s reflections of combat, taken from his war journal and originally written within hours of firefights, while his ears were still ringing from the cacophony of battle that all warriors intimately know. You are invited to this Afghanistan, a place where savage beauty and death coexist in every moment and with every breath.

ebook

First published February 6, 2012

Reviews

[Dan Keyser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read

Having spent time in the same valley and struggling for years on finding ways to talk about it, this book has helped immensely. Anyone who wishes to peer into what our valley was like should make this book a great place to start the journey. Job well done on capturing your journey and sharing it.
Breach Hell!
Led By Love Of Country

[William Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fought in Kunar and Nuristan Province and this book is a good start if you wondering what is to be and how you feel in battle. A great book!