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Zero Footprint: The True Story of a Private Military Contractor's Covert Assignments in Syria, Libya, And the World's Most Dangerous Places
NATIONAL BESTSELLER A dramatic insider account of the world of private military contracting.
Armored cars, burner phones, top-notch weaponry and top-secret missions--this is the life of today's private military contractor. Like author Simon Chase, many PMCs were once the world's top military operatives, and since retiring from outfits like US Navy SEAL TEAM Six and the UK's Special Boat Service, they have devoted their lives to executing sensitive and hazardous missions overseas.
Working at the request of U.S. and British government entities as well as for private clients, he takes on jobs that require "zero footprint," with no trace of their actions left behind.
Chase delivers first-hand accounts of tracking Bin Laden in Afghanistan and being one of the first responders after the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. We see his teams defuse terrorist bombs, guard dignitaries, and protect convoys traveling through perilous territory--and then there are the really big jobs: top-secret "zero footprint" missions that include searching for High Value Targets and setting up arms shipping networks.
The missions in Zero Footprint will shock readers, but so will the personal dangers. Chase and the men he works with operate without government backup or air rescue. If they die serving their country--they remain anonymous. There are no military honors or benefits. Contractors like Simon Chase are the unsung heroes in the war against terrorism, a strong, but largely invisible force--until now.
Armored cars, burner phones, top-notch weaponry and top-secret missions--this is the life of today's private military contractor. Like author Simon Chase, many PMCs were once the world's top military operatives, and since retiring from outfits like US Navy SEAL TEAM Six and the UK's Special Boat Service, they have devoted their lives to executing sensitive and hazardous missions overseas.
Working at the request of U.S. and British government entities as well as for private clients, he takes on jobs that require "zero footprint," with no trace of their actions left behind.
Chase delivers first-hand accounts of tracking Bin Laden in Afghanistan and being one of the first responders after the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. We see his teams defuse terrorist bombs, guard dignitaries, and protect convoys traveling through perilous territory--and then there are the really big jobs: top-secret "zero footprint" missions that include searching for High Value Targets and setting up arms shipping networks.
The missions in Zero Footprint will shock readers, but so will the personal dangers. Chase and the men he works with operate without government backup or air rescue. If they die serving their country--they remain anonymous. There are no military honors or benefits. Contractors like Simon Chase are the unsung heroes in the war against terrorism, a strong, but largely invisible force--until now.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 12, 2016
118 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Pezzullo
43 books27 followersRalph Pezzullo is a New York Times bestselling author, and award-winning playwright and screenwriter.
Born in New York City, he grew up in Mexico, Vietnam, Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Uruguay and Nicaragua. After receiving a Master's Degree in international affairs he worked on Capitol Hill and later as a correspondent for Associated Press covering assignments in Latin America.
His books have been published in over twenty languages and include Jawbreaker (with CIA operative Gary Berntsen), Inside SEAL Team Six (with Don Mann), The Walk-In, At the Fall of Somoza, Plunging Into Haiti (winner of the 2006 Douglas Dillon Prize for American Diplomacy), The Chopin Manuscript (winner of the 2008 Audio Book of the Year), Eve Missing, Blood of My Blood, Most Evil (with Steve Hodel), The Navy SEAL Survival Handbook (also with Don Mann), Zero Footprint, Left of Boom, Full Battle Rattle, and the SEAL Team Six thrillers Hunt the Wolf, Hunt the Scorpion, Hunt the Falcon, Hunt the Jackal, Hunt the Fox, Hunt the Dragon and Hunt the Viper.
He has also written for television and film, writing screenplays for all the major film studies and working with directors Oliver Stone, Antoine Fuqua, George Gallo, Roger Donaldson, and others. His screenplay, An Unacceptable Person, was the recipient a Writer’s Guild East Foundation New Screenplay Award. And his radio drama series, The Life and Times of the Swamp Fox, was funded by the National Endowment of the Humanities, broadcast on PBS and the BBC, and nominated for a Peabody Award.
His plays, all of which have been produced in New York City, include Dear Friends, On That Day, Eating the Shadow, The Education of One Miss February, From Behind the Moon, Ghosts in the Dining Room, Bad Moon Rising, Gauguin’s Parrot, Asylum, Hide Mother in My Heart, Spain, and Okeechobee Split. They have also been performed in London, Mexico City, Copenhagen, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Seattle. Tail of the Tiger was honored by the Kesselring Committee of the National Arts Club, and Wilderness of Mirrors was Winner of the Center Theater International Play Contest. He has been the recipient of six Jerome Foundation playwriting fellowships. His latest play The American Wife opened at The Park Theatre in London in September 2016.
Ralph is a member of the Writer’s Guild, Author’s League of America, Mystery Writer’s Association, International Thriller Writers, and PEN USA; and is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
He lives in Los Angeles.
Born in New York City, he grew up in Mexico, Vietnam, Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Uruguay and Nicaragua. After receiving a Master's Degree in international affairs he worked on Capitol Hill and later as a correspondent for Associated Press covering assignments in Latin America.
His books have been published in over twenty languages and include Jawbreaker (with CIA operative Gary Berntsen), Inside SEAL Team Six (with Don Mann), The Walk-In, At the Fall of Somoza, Plunging Into Haiti (winner of the 2006 Douglas Dillon Prize for American Diplomacy), The Chopin Manuscript (winner of the 2008 Audio Book of the Year), Eve Missing, Blood of My Blood, Most Evil (with Steve Hodel), The Navy SEAL Survival Handbook (also with Don Mann), Zero Footprint, Left of Boom, Full Battle Rattle, and the SEAL Team Six thrillers Hunt the Wolf, Hunt the Scorpion, Hunt the Falcon, Hunt the Jackal, Hunt the Fox, Hunt the Dragon and Hunt the Viper.
He has also written for television and film, writing screenplays for all the major film studies and working with directors Oliver Stone, Antoine Fuqua, George Gallo, Roger Donaldson, and others. His screenplay, An Unacceptable Person, was the recipient a Writer’s Guild East Foundation New Screenplay Award. And his radio drama series, The Life and Times of the Swamp Fox, was funded by the National Endowment of the Humanities, broadcast on PBS and the BBC, and nominated for a Peabody Award.
His plays, all of which have been produced in New York City, include Dear Friends, On That Day, Eating the Shadow, The Education of One Miss February, From Behind the Moon, Ghosts in the Dining Room, Bad Moon Rising, Gauguin’s Parrot, Asylum, Hide Mother in My Heart, Spain, and Okeechobee Split. They have also been performed in London, Mexico City, Copenhagen, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Seattle. Tail of the Tiger was honored by the Kesselring Committee of the National Arts Club, and Wilderness of Mirrors was Winner of the Center Theater International Play Contest. He has been the recipient of six Jerome Foundation playwriting fellowships. His latest play The American Wife opened at The Park Theatre in London in September 2016.
Ralph is a member of the Writer’s Guild, Author’s League of America, Mystery Writer’s Association, International Thriller Writers, and PEN USA; and is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
He lives in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
March 27, 2016
I read the reviews that claim this is not real or mostly fabricated. I am not in a position to judge or estimate if the information the author gives is real or not. It's up to him to maintain that integrity. I was more interested in how he went from military to being a PMC and how their tactics and "missions" were established. It read a lot more like a novel, but I found it entertaining and engaging. The author was fairly descriptive of places, situations, etc. but not overly graphic in a couple of situations that could have easily gone in that direction. Overall true or not, it is an easy read and interesting to follow. If you are into DARPA and OGA military mission novels, this will be an enjoyable departure from your usual read.
January 27, 2016
UPDATED: Upon reading the reviews of this book on Amazon, it appears that the author has taken license with the truth. It may be that the author did not participate in any of the situations listed. That being said, I still found this to be a very good read, and in the case that it is all fiction, shame on the author.
An incredible story! Chase (alias), a British Special Forces soldier who found himself an early retirement due to injury, continues his career as a private military contractor (PMC). Taking assignments as varied as a bodyguard for rich people, to stints with other special forces soldiers (retired SEALs, Delta Force, etc) in war zones throughout the Middle East. The author had many hair-raising adventures, it is amazing that he has packed so much living into one life. The chapters detailing incidents in Iraq, the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan, and Benghazi Libya were spell binding!
Mr. Chase has an excellent ability to narrate, and the descriptions are so vivid that you feel you are there with him. If he can manage to stay clear of harms way long enough to write a sequel, I will be first in line to purchase it!
On a side note, I was flabbergasted at the amount of money spent on PMC's. Bear with me while I give a quote from the book: "In November 2003, the US Congress established the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund, which allocated $18.4 BILLION (!!!) to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure... That was on top of the $54.4 BILLION Congress had provided that year for Operation Iraqi Freedom, the $92.1 BILLION it set aside in 2004, the $58 BILLION in 2005, and so on..... The money was huge. So was the number of firms that showed up to bid for contracts - 181, according to a US GAO report - eventually employing AS MANY AS 190,000 CONTRACTOR AND SUBCONTRACTOR PERSONNEL."
Wow! To paraphrase an old line, "Take a a billion dollars here, and a billion dollars there, and pretty soon you are talking about real money here".
And equally incredible is the process used to circumnavigate Congressional Oversight by hiring the PMC's. And the fact that these PMC's are pretty much out there on their own; no backup from the regular military, and no disability pensions or life insurance if the situations go bad. In fact, the government can deny any knowledge of these people, no matter how heroic their deeds may be.
This book was a real eye-opener for me. I highly, highly recommend this one!
(In the interest of fairness, I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for a fair review.)
An incredible story! Chase (alias), a British Special Forces soldier who found himself an early retirement due to injury, continues his career as a private military contractor (PMC). Taking assignments as varied as a bodyguard for rich people, to stints with other special forces soldiers (retired SEALs, Delta Force, etc) in war zones throughout the Middle East. The author had many hair-raising adventures, it is amazing that he has packed so much living into one life. The chapters detailing incidents in Iraq, the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan, and Benghazi Libya were spell binding!
Mr. Chase has an excellent ability to narrate, and the descriptions are so vivid that you feel you are there with him. If he can manage to stay clear of harms way long enough to write a sequel, I will be first in line to purchase it!
On a side note, I was flabbergasted at the amount of money spent on PMC's. Bear with me while I give a quote from the book: "In November 2003, the US Congress established the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund, which allocated $18.4 BILLION (!!!) to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure... That was on top of the $54.4 BILLION Congress had provided that year for Operation Iraqi Freedom, the $92.1 BILLION it set aside in 2004, the $58 BILLION in 2005, and so on..... The money was huge. So was the number of firms that showed up to bid for contracts - 181, according to a US GAO report - eventually employing AS MANY AS 190,000 CONTRACTOR AND SUBCONTRACTOR PERSONNEL."
Wow! To paraphrase an old line, "Take a a billion dollars here, and a billion dollars there, and pretty soon you are talking about real money here".
And equally incredible is the process used to circumnavigate Congressional Oversight by hiring the PMC's. And the fact that these PMC's are pretty much out there on their own; no backup from the regular military, and no disability pensions or life insurance if the situations go bad. In fact, the government can deny any knowledge of these people, no matter how heroic their deeds may be.
This book was a real eye-opener for me. I highly, highly recommend this one!
(In the interest of fairness, I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for a fair review.)
September 26, 2016
Very interesting book on PMCs who are doing the dirty jobs that Governments wants done without their footprint. Brings up details of covert jobs of failed missions to trace Bin Laden and delayed entry for helping the Syrian rebels. Those who like books relating to war zone activities this is very attention gripper.
April 11, 2016
I first found "Zero Footprint" in the Georgetown University bookshop and needless to say, the title itself drew my attention. However after reading the first chapters of this book, I found myself wondering, is this real? There was just something odd about the way it was written. A bit too relaxed for a book of a supposedly serious nature. Ignoring the first thoughts of doubt creeping into my mind I continued reading. But as I got towards the end, it felt more like the script of a bad Michael Bay action movie rather than the autobiography of an elite military contractor. After some research it appears as though "Simon Chase" has stretched the truth and embellished his role with the British private military company, Aegis Security. From his time working with CIA agents during the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, to his tales of selflessly assisting during the 2011 Benghazi Attack, one can immediately tell that this book is a work of fiction. The author even goes on to state that during his work for a corporate magnate, he even protected a copy of the Magna Carta by placing it in a shopping bag! A shopping bag which he then took on the metro! In addition, the other's knowledge of military parlance and weapons is extremely poor and not on the level of a supposed a ex-SBS operator. Even his pen name was taken from an unfortunately deceased contractor who was killed in Afghanistan.Needless to say, I am extremely disappointed with this book. It had excellent potential to shed some light on the murky world of private military contractor's and instead turned into the fictional ramblings of an ex-special forces turned PMC wannabe. If you want to read a book that truly describes the world of Private Military Contractors, I suggest: "The Modern Mercenary" by Sean McFate and "Civilian Warriors" by Erik Prince (yes, the Erik Prince who founded Blackwater.) But as for this book itself, a more appropriate title would be "Zero Credibility".
October 16, 2022
So, I enjoyed reading the book. It was interesting and well-paced. I do try to give people the benefit of the doubt. But as I went through, my BS meter went off. I was like, how has this guy blundered into nearly every skirmish in the world for the last 30 years? Right into the middle of the action every time? It’s possible he did. And even if he did half the stuff he says he did in the book, he has led a remarkable life of service. Since this person is anonymous, my guess is either this is not just one person, but a composite of many people, or it’s flat out fake. Some weird inconsistencies, such as calling 7.62 ammo 7.72. Unless this is some British ammo I have never heard of, it seems like a really easy mistake his co-author or editors should have caught. And if they didn’t catch it, what else did they miss? That said, I did get some enjoyment out of the book so it gets some stars.
January 24, 2018
The book "Zero Footprint" by Simon Chase was a fantastic book. What I liked about it was how Simon told what it was like in missions, his experiences, lessons he learned, and why he joined the military.
Simon also told stories that happened at base camp. I also like how Simon used abbreviations but in the beginning of the book he told us what they mean't for. I rate this book a 4. Simon Chase can improve on many things like, telling about more experiences, how many years it took him to be where he is at now. Simon was a kid when he joined the military. Simon told what it was like being in one of the youngest kids in the military. Even though his mother wanted him to stay home, Simon decided to take the opportunity. Even though Simon was thinking to give up at some points he didn't. He kept pushing through the toughness of the camps.
Simon also told stories that happened at base camp. I also like how Simon used abbreviations but in the beginning of the book he told us what they mean't for. I rate this book a 4. Simon Chase can improve on many things like, telling about more experiences, how many years it took him to be where he is at now. Simon was a kid when he joined the military. Simon told what it was like being in one of the youngest kids in the military. Even though his mother wanted him to stay home, Simon decided to take the opportunity. Even though Simon was thinking to give up at some points he didn't. He kept pushing through the toughness of the camps.
November 22, 2016
Ethan Ankenbrandt
November 23, 2016
English 331
B-1
Zero Footprint
The author's purpose for the book Zero Footprint is to show the strength of a solider after getting wounded and being able to recover. The book is all about strength because being in harmful situations, you have to think fast and keep you head in all the things that are going on around you. The author was able to tell and show this in his book by it being a true story. I think the audience for this book is older teens and adults because of all the terms and detail being told in the book. It might be hard for younger kids to understand what is going on.
The theme of the book is mental toughness. The reason why it is about mental promise is because in extreme conditions you have to be able to think fast and be able to complete the important tasks. During this book this solider got wounded and after getting his health back he had to keep his mental toughness to get him through all the bad times. A lot of soldier's go through PTSD and have trouble keeping their mental toughness which is very important.
The book was written in first and third person because the author put some of his own words in the book as well as word coming from the solider. This book was a narration by it being told in times and places. It also was about a event which was war over seas.
I liked this book because of all of the detail and action that happened in it. I didn't like how the solider got wounded because is terrible hearing about how they get hurt or even killed. This reminds me of some other military books I have read in the past, but this is definitely one of the best ones I have ever read. I recommend that if you get the chance to read this book, you should because of all the awesome detail and action happening. Also because this is a great true story about our heroes.
November 23, 2016
English 331
B-1
Zero Footprint
The author's purpose for the book Zero Footprint is to show the strength of a solider after getting wounded and being able to recover. The book is all about strength because being in harmful situations, you have to think fast and keep you head in all the things that are going on around you. The author was able to tell and show this in his book by it being a true story. I think the audience for this book is older teens and adults because of all the terms and detail being told in the book. It might be hard for younger kids to understand what is going on.
The theme of the book is mental toughness. The reason why it is about mental promise is because in extreme conditions you have to be able to think fast and be able to complete the important tasks. During this book this solider got wounded and after getting his health back he had to keep his mental toughness to get him through all the bad times. A lot of soldier's go through PTSD and have trouble keeping their mental toughness which is very important.
The book was written in first and third person because the author put some of his own words in the book as well as word coming from the solider. This book was a narration by it being told in times and places. It also was about a event which was war over seas.
I liked this book because of all of the detail and action that happened in it. I didn't like how the solider got wounded because is terrible hearing about how they get hurt or even killed. This reminds me of some other military books I have read in the past, but this is definitely one of the best ones I have ever read. I recommend that if you get the chance to read this book, you should because of all the awesome detail and action happening. Also because this is a great true story about our heroes.
August 13, 2024
Zero Footprint is Simon Chase's experience of working as a private military contractor as the industry exploded in importance and power during the height of the War on Terror. There's been a few reviews mentioned here that cast doubt on some of the events that occurred here. I can't comment on that, so I'll just review it on what I've read.
Simon Chase was a former Royal Marine and SBS operator that moved into private military work, before 2001. There most work seemed to involve bodyguarding Gulf royalty or training their own security forces. But after 9/11 and the subsequent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, PMC work massively expands, as the need for trained military personnel is desperately required. They take work as security for other contractors and diplomats, reconstruction, and training of local forces, however they work without the protection of the coalition forces, operating in these dangerous situations without any back up. Chase describes missions across Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, which can turn deadly and harrowing. Being separate from the regular military structure, Chase is hired to head certain operations that the US and UK governments would prefer to stay at least arms length away from, to be able to claim ‘deniability’ from some questionable dealings.
This was an easy book to read. It flowed well, and I got through this pretty quickly. Maybe a bit simplistic without much depth maybe, but a quick, relatively enjoyable read. Simon Chase got into a lot of action during this time. I’ve read books similar to this, and they never described as much action as much as Chase says he was directly involved in. Maybe the work that he took on was more dangerous, or he was just unlucky, or that’s where the claims of ‘embellishment’ may have come from. But taking this as his real experience, he really went through some major instances and unfortunately lost some close friends and witnessed some horrendous scenes, like a school in Iraq hit by ISIS and then discovering the children he and his team manged to save, were then targeted again in hospital and died as the medical staff were threatened not to give life saving aid.
I’d say the main issue with the book is that it isn't very deep. You don't really get a sense of the toll this seemingly constant series of deployments have had on him until the very end, or his own personal view on the missions and political backdrop of the missions he’s involved, such as when he’s working off the books for the US in trying to secure arms for Syrian rebels, by going through either Bulgarian gangsters or the Libyan arm of Al Qaeda. Just that similar sorts of books like this, usually spend more time looking at the author’s personal life and trials, both good and bad, and the effect such a life takes on a person and their life away from the warzones. This issue doesn’t really appear until almost the end, when his relationship collapses but the effect of being constantly away at short notice to some of the most dangerous places isn't barely given any mention (that you can at least sympathise with his partner for cheating when Chase drops everything at a moments notice for a unspecified time to an active warzone).
Overall, if you're a fan of these types of books you probably won’t be disappointed. While it does seem to be very action heavy, that seems a bit too much and could be seen to be a bit more licence was taken with real events; the book is easy and quick enough to read that you don’t really end up thinking about it too much. The book only touches upon at the end the toll this kind of career and life can have on you, and perhaps of it focused just a bit more on this the book might have had a stronger impact and feel to it. The Circuit: An Ex-SAS Soldier's True Account of One of the Most Powerful and Secretive Industries Spawned by the War on Terror I felt touched more upon the business of private militaries more and was a bit more in-depth about this quasi-private-military industry. Not bad but lacked detail in both the industry ramifications of this work, in both the private and public political world and in how it effects their personal lives.
Simon Chase was a former Royal Marine and SBS operator that moved into private military work, before 2001. There most work seemed to involve bodyguarding Gulf royalty or training their own security forces. But after 9/11 and the subsequent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, PMC work massively expands, as the need for trained military personnel is desperately required. They take work as security for other contractors and diplomats, reconstruction, and training of local forces, however they work without the protection of the coalition forces, operating in these dangerous situations without any back up. Chase describes missions across Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, which can turn deadly and harrowing. Being separate from the regular military structure, Chase is hired to head certain operations that the US and UK governments would prefer to stay at least arms length away from, to be able to claim ‘deniability’ from some questionable dealings.
This was an easy book to read. It flowed well, and I got through this pretty quickly. Maybe a bit simplistic without much depth maybe, but a quick, relatively enjoyable read. Simon Chase got into a lot of action during this time. I’ve read books similar to this, and they never described as much action as much as Chase says he was directly involved in. Maybe the work that he took on was more dangerous, or he was just unlucky, or that’s where the claims of ‘embellishment’ may have come from. But taking this as his real experience, he really went through some major instances and unfortunately lost some close friends and witnessed some horrendous scenes, like a school in Iraq hit by ISIS and then discovering the children he and his team manged to save, were then targeted again in hospital and died as the medical staff were threatened not to give life saving aid.
I’d say the main issue with the book is that it isn't very deep. You don't really get a sense of the toll this seemingly constant series of deployments have had on him until the very end, or his own personal view on the missions and political backdrop of the missions he’s involved, such as when he’s working off the books for the US in trying to secure arms for Syrian rebels, by going through either Bulgarian gangsters or the Libyan arm of Al Qaeda. Just that similar sorts of books like this, usually spend more time looking at the author’s personal life and trials, both good and bad, and the effect such a life takes on a person and their life away from the warzones. This issue doesn’t really appear until almost the end, when his relationship collapses but the effect of being constantly away at short notice to some of the most dangerous places isn't barely given any mention (that you can at least sympathise with his partner for cheating when Chase drops everything at a moments notice for a unspecified time to an active warzone).
Overall, if you're a fan of these types of books you probably won’t be disappointed. While it does seem to be very action heavy, that seems a bit too much and could be seen to be a bit more licence was taken with real events; the book is easy and quick enough to read that you don’t really end up thinking about it too much. The book only touches upon at the end the toll this kind of career and life can have on you, and perhaps of it focused just a bit more on this the book might have had a stronger impact and feel to it. The Circuit: An Ex-SAS Soldier's True Account of One of the Most Powerful and Secretive Industries Spawned by the War on Terror I felt touched more upon the business of private militaries more and was a bit more in-depth about this quasi-private-military industry. Not bad but lacked detail in both the industry ramifications of this work, in both the private and public political world and in how it effects their personal lives.
June 8, 2022
A mostly interesting read with very suspenseful chapters on hunting the rumor of bin laden in Afghanistan and a mission to extract a child from Pakistan.
Thoughts:
- Really doubt that all this happened to one guy. Seems more likely it's the best stories from several guys, with some creative license thrown in
- Unlikely the whole thing is made up though, as much of the fubar Afghanistan mission lines up with coalition incompetence and Aghani double-dealing
- Getting 30-ish ex-mil guys - old enough to know what they're doing, but young enough to still get the job done - seems like the right move for these private military contractor orgs
- Even hard men can still lose it when faced with the prospect of getting dumped by someone they loved
- My BS detector went off with the whole "Assad was gasing his own people!" Sounds like the same gaslighting that led to Gaddafi's and Saddam's ouster, and the decreased societal conditions that followed
- The trip down the mountain in the Afghan story was very well written, and very sad. How many of our top guys got killed chasing a rumor and then getting double-crossed by a local chieftain?
- Very interesting read on a few guys staking out the home and the school of a girl taken from her English mom by her Pakistani dad. Lots of sit around and wait, but all of it needed to make the grab and get the pair to the British embassy without incident. Hundreds of hours of effort required to make a few minutes of action go down the right way
- By this account the US Ambassador in Libya died of smoke inhalation when the compound was attacked. We all knew the obama administration was lying when it claimed the Benghazi raid came about from getting offended by an online video. Here, and this is plausible, it's because we picked up and tortured the cousin of a guy we were buying weapons from for the anti-Assad Syrian forces
- My thought that ISIS rivals the Khmer Rouge and the Aztecs as the most objectively evil org to ever exist was reinforced here. These pieces of shit literally murdered children to whom Western forces had provided medical aid. Better dead than touched by Western hands. Subhuman
Thoughts:
- Really doubt that all this happened to one guy. Seems more likely it's the best stories from several guys, with some creative license thrown in
- Unlikely the whole thing is made up though, as much of the fubar Afghanistan mission lines up with coalition incompetence and Aghani double-dealing
- Getting 30-ish ex-mil guys - old enough to know what they're doing, but young enough to still get the job done - seems like the right move for these private military contractor orgs
- Even hard men can still lose it when faced with the prospect of getting dumped by someone they loved
- My BS detector went off with the whole "Assad was gasing his own people!" Sounds like the same gaslighting that led to Gaddafi's and Saddam's ouster, and the decreased societal conditions that followed
- The trip down the mountain in the Afghan story was very well written, and very sad. How many of our top guys got killed chasing a rumor and then getting double-crossed by a local chieftain?
- Very interesting read on a few guys staking out the home and the school of a girl taken from her English mom by her Pakistani dad. Lots of sit around and wait, but all of it needed to make the grab and get the pair to the British embassy without incident. Hundreds of hours of effort required to make a few minutes of action go down the right way
- By this account the US Ambassador in Libya died of smoke inhalation when the compound was attacked. We all knew the obama administration was lying when it claimed the Benghazi raid came about from getting offended by an online video. Here, and this is plausible, it's because we picked up and tortured the cousin of a guy we were buying weapons from for the anti-Assad Syrian forces
- My thought that ISIS rivals the Khmer Rouge and the Aztecs as the most objectively evil org to ever exist was reinforced here. These pieces of shit literally murdered children to whom Western forces had provided medical aid. Better dead than touched by Western hands. Subhuman
February 19, 2019
In Zero Footprint, you will read stories about grand exploits and dangerous missions in some of the most troubled spots on the planet. Stories of hardened men doing what years in military has trained them to do, although, now done as PMC’s, private military contractors. You will also learn that like everyone else in the world of war fighting, that they too struggle. With the injuries to children for which no one is ready, or the death of their comrades, which leaves them reeling, to governments and corporations that aren’t away there to help. Simon Chase (contractor) & Ralph Pezzulio (author)
bring to those reading this book, the very real and down to earth lives of private soldiers, mercs, soldiers of fortune. Those names however bring with them negative connotations. Even though most of these men & women carry with them the same beliefs as when they were in nation state militaries.
They would prefer to be called private military contractors and to appreciate the same support from the public. Most people will only hear about there endeavors when something goes wrong, that’s because even when they do their job perfectly, we don’t hear about it because they’re told to leave Zero Footprint.
bring to those reading this book, the very real and down to earth lives of private soldiers, mercs, soldiers of fortune. Those names however bring with them negative connotations. Even though most of these men & women carry with them the same beliefs as when they were in nation state militaries.
They would prefer to be called private military contractors and to appreciate the same support from the public. Most people will only hear about there endeavors when something goes wrong, that’s because even when they do their job perfectly, we don’t hear about it because they’re told to leave Zero Footprint.
February 21, 2025
"Zero Footprint" is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of human nature and the consequences of our actions. The narrative revolves around the 2012 Benghazi attack and the death of Senator Stevens, providing a truthful and immersive account of the events that unfolded.
The author's masterful storytelling brings the characters to life, allowing readers to connect with their emotions and motivations. The novel delves into the political intrigue and international tensions surrounding the Benghazi incident, offering a nuanced portrayal of the complexities involved.
The author's attention to detail and research is evident in the accurate depiction of the events and the characters' backgrounds. The narrative is both riveting and human, as it delves into the personal lives and struggles of the individuals caught up in the chaos. At times is a sad, heart-breaking and gut wrenching story of the harsh lives, dangers, needs and wants of a private military contractor
"Zero Footprint" is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary political thrillers and thought-provoking narratives. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of truth, empathy, and understanding in a world often driven by sensationalism and division.
The author's masterful storytelling brings the characters to life, allowing readers to connect with their emotions and motivations. The novel delves into the political intrigue and international tensions surrounding the Benghazi incident, offering a nuanced portrayal of the complexities involved.
The author's attention to detail and research is evident in the accurate depiction of the events and the characters' backgrounds. The narrative is both riveting and human, as it delves into the personal lives and struggles of the individuals caught up in the chaos. At times is a sad, heart-breaking and gut wrenching story of the harsh lives, dangers, needs and wants of a private military contractor
"Zero Footprint" is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary political thrillers and thought-provoking narratives. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of truth, empathy, and understanding in a world often driven by sensationalism and division.
November 13, 2017
Zero Footprint by Simon Chase and Ralph Pezzullo is a biography about Simon's multitude of dangerous missions while being a Private Military Contractor. I find the book to be entertaining with moments of fast-paced action and his personal life stuck in between. One of the main problems in the book is how he fights counter terrorism with no back up or recognition when they do some integral points in the war. Also, himself and his teammates get no military funeral if a member of their team perishes in the field of battle. Overall, the use of proper description of everything happening, if that is gunfire rates, or the weapons they use allows the reader to properly comprehend their situation. The novel sheds new light onto the judged and not well understood private military contractor world.
September 16, 2025
Simon Chase’s memoir dives into the shadowy world of private military contractors—those soldiers who operate in the spaces governments won’t officially acknowledge. He recounts his time chasing bin Laden, protecting generals, and working on missions linked to hot-button conflicts like Benghazi.
But for me, the bigger story wasn’t the action scenes—it was the uncomfortable questions the book raised. The idea of Americans essentially becoming soldiers of fortune feels unsettling. In the U.S., contractors may look like patriots filling a need. But in Iraq—or anywhere else—it’s easy to imagine how they’d look more like mercenaries. The fact that governments actively hire these men for war zones was an eye-opener. Are they protectors? Paid murderers? Something in between?
Zero Footprint doesn’t hand you the answers—it just makes you wrestle with them. And maybe that’s the point.
But for me, the bigger story wasn’t the action scenes—it was the uncomfortable questions the book raised. The idea of Americans essentially becoming soldiers of fortune feels unsettling. In the U.S., contractors may look like patriots filling a need. But in Iraq—or anywhere else—it’s easy to imagine how they’d look more like mercenaries. The fact that governments actively hire these men for war zones was an eye-opener. Are they protectors? Paid murderers? Something in between?
Zero Footprint doesn’t hand you the answers—it just makes you wrestle with them. And maybe that’s the point.
November 25, 2025
A really good book in the GWOT timeline. It details some adventures the author went through and really shows the "Other side" of PMC work, as opposed to military stuff. It's interesting to read from this perspective, because I need some material for stories, and this has fit the bill with an arc that I'm writing for my military science fiction. What this book doesn't (unlike another book I read on the same subject) do is glamorize the life of a PMC operator. Sure, there's some glam, but it also comes at a cost, both personally and otherwise, so the author makes sure that point is driven home. War, regardless of national government or paid mercenary, always gets us all at some point; it's definitely a good book on the realities of mercenary life within those bounds.
May 21, 2017
I really started to get into this book and it tells a good story. The key word there is "story". It was a very interesting read, but the deeper I went into the book, the more my BS meter started to go off. I have a tremendous amount of respect for contractors and I've read many titles about this theater of operation. It became obvious that much of this was fabricated or embellished. This was further emphasized by the fact that the author choose to completely take a course of anonymity. The publisher should be ashamed for releasing this title under non-fiction. I'll be avoiding this publisher in the future.
June 9, 2017
A book made up of different private contractor experiences by the author (pen name Simon Chase) from Afghanistan- hunt for Bin Laden, Syria- proof of chemical weapon use, Benghazi- purchase weapons and the secret CIA Annex- they were there. It was an additive to books I've already read or news events such as 13 hours, Dark Forces with the role of purchasing weapons in Libya for their use to support Syrian rebels. An interesting read.
September 30, 2017
Excellent insight into the world of private military contractors across the Arab nations. The amount of money spent in bribes and inflated costs is amazing. Only problem was with the use of abbreviations for all of the organizations, tactic and personnel. There was a glossary to explain these, but got tired of referring back to it. Enjoyable read.
April 24, 2018
Quite an enjoyable book. While there are claims that this book may not be wholly factual, which I only discovered when completing my review, that does not diminish the quality of the writing or the story. It is very well written, an engaging story and well worth picking up, even if you believe that the story may be stretched (which I have no reason to believe).
July 20, 2018
The author takes the reader on a journey that spans the globe, from South America to the Levant. I found this book hard to put down. The narrative focuses on a private military contractor and the scrapes he gets into. This book would actually make a very interesting movie in line with Zero Dark Thirty and 13 Hours. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in current events.
January 27, 2022
This guy's exciting story seems at times almost... too perfect. It's ostensibly real, in which case this guy leads a much more exciting life than you and me. No spoliers but I thought the parts about some extra-legal stuff done right here in the US is somewhat questionable. Still I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his experiences, if only for some vicarious thrills.
August 16, 2022
Incredible
If you are a citizen of the United States of America, you should read this book. Amazingly terrifying accounts of heroism during an insanely terrifying time. Thank you for writing this.
There's what the news media & government tell you. Then, there's what actually happened. This is that story.
If you are a citizen of the United States of America, you should read this book. Amazingly terrifying accounts of heroism during an insanely terrifying time. Thank you for writing this.
There's what the news media & government tell you. Then, there's what actually happened. This is that story.
November 13, 2018
A great ‘airplane book’ - quick read and exposes some varied complexities, dangers, and implications of an at times murky and poorly defined projects that Private Contractors support. Real life examples. The real witness accounts of Benghazi sure do conflict with the political narrative.
November 1, 2020
don't waste your time, poorly written and clearly fabricated. supposedly while he was in Hong Kong, "we were lodging on the fifty-second floor of the swanky Mandarin Hotel". Funny that because the Mandarin only has 26 floors.
June 23, 2021
Stunning
This is a great read. Not what I had expected to find In this book. It was hard to put down. The humanity and honesty was a plus. No glorified war and killing made this a great book. I highly recommend this book.
This is a great read. Not what I had expected to find In this book. It was hard to put down. The humanity and honesty was a plus. No glorified war and killing made this a great book. I highly recommend this book.
November 3, 2024
covert operations and operators
Almost too much to process, with guns and money, and how life can be so terrible in the world’s worst places. Life is cheap and innocents die. I highly recommend this book, but, it is disturbing.
Almost too much to process, with guns and money, and how life can be so terrible in the world’s worst places. Life is cheap and innocents die. I highly recommend this book, but, it is disturbing.
July 17, 2025
ɪ ᴀꜱᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴜɴʟᴏᴄᴋ 2 ꜰɪʟᴇꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴅɪᴅ ɪᴛ ɪɴ 24 ʜᴏᴜʀꜱ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ɪꜱꜱᴜᴇ ɪ ꜰᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ᴘᴀʏᴍᴇɴᴛ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ꜱᴇɴᴅ ᴊʙᴇᴇ ꜱᴘʏ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ᴀ ᴅᴍ ᴏɴ ᴇᴍᴀɪʟ ᴄᴏɴʟᴇʏᴊʙᴇᴇꜱᴘʏ606@ɢᴍᴀɪʟ.ᴄᴏᴍ
August 4, 2025
Gripping tale , should be required reading for anyone wanting to pursue this type of work
I liked the way the authors told put you in the thick of things. A little James Bond action also.
I liked the way the authors told put you in the thick of things. A little James Bond action also.
July 21, 2018
The book was good. Very well written. Like others, I doubt most of this happened. So while I did enjoy the book, I think the author should be honest about its truthfulness.
Read
September 24, 2019Great read with fantastic first person views
December 8, 2020
3.6; I need to read this one again but it's a great book on a PMC and their experience in the field. Potentially worth a read if you're interested in the more underground aspects of a contractor.
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