Ignorantest newspaper line of the day

The following
sentences, printed under the byline of Julie Bosman of the New York Times, could only be written by someone
who has not been paying attention:

"Now that American involvement in
Iraq and Afghanistan is winding down, the warriors are telling their
stories. . . The books appear to be part of the next generation of writing from the
wars, following a first crop of books by journalists, like "Imperial Life in
the Emerald City" by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, about Iraq.

Actually, one of the surprises of the wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq has been just the opposite: How many fine memoirs have been written
over the last 10 years by soldiers, including many by enlisted ones.

As a public service, here is a remedial reading list for Ms.
Bosman:

Nathaniel Fick, One
Bullet Away

Andrew Exum, This Man's
Army

Craig Mullaney, The
Unforgiving Minute

Peter Mansoor, Baghdad
at Sunrise

Kayla Williams,  Love My Rifle More Than You

Matt Gallagher, Kaboom

Benjamin Tupper, Greetings
from Afghanistan

Seth Folsom, The
Highway War

David Bellavia, House
to House

Joe LeBleu, Long Rifle

Milo Afong, Hogs in
the Shadows

Donovan Campbell, Joker
One

Nick Popaditch, Once a
Marine

John Crawford, The
Last True

Jeremiah Workman, Shadow
of the Sword

Jason Hartley, Just
Another Soldier

Paul Rieckhoff, Chasing
Ghosts

Nathan Sassaman, Warrior
King

Vivian Gembara, Drowning
in the Desert

Rusty Bradley, Lions
of Kandahar

Sean Parnell, Outlaw
Platoon

Brandon Friedman, The
War I Always Wanted

Nate Self, Two Wars

Michael Franzak, A
Nightmare's Prayer

I know I am leaving out a bunch more, but all my books are
600 miles from where I am writing this. And I haven't even included memoirs by
spies, diplomats and other civilian officials. I suggest that as penance, Ms.
Bosman read at least five of these memoirs.