What do u guys think??

[Everest]

this might be off the topic but i recently visited a relative in england and bought lots of books on SAS and british forces in genral. One of the ones that really caught my attention was "Bravo 2 zero". When i reterned to australia i bought a book called " The real Bravo 2 Zero" and it basically took apart everything that andy Mcnab had written about mission.

If anyone has also read this book i would be intrested in what people think about it. pack of lies? or mixed truth?.

While on the subject a show was recently screened in Autralia about aka " Mike Coburn" a fellow SAS soldier on that mission and how his book about what happened on that mission has been banned by the MOD. I can't find his book anywhere (soldier 5)

Does anyone know anything about this??? as i would really be intrested on what people think

OWEN

i know this subject has probably been worn to death so sorry if it drags up old forums

Such as life

[Bruce McDonald]

Havent read the book you said, but have read 'bravo two zero', wether it is the truth or not, it is hard to say. We may never know...

[Jesse]

Hello Everest,

You're right, Bravo Two Zero and Andy McNab have been discussed quite a lot on this forum. The general consensus is that McNab is an outright liar. This is a shame since he's a very good writer.

Here's one thread that handles the topic:

viewtopic.php?t=2264

There is another longer thread, but I can't seem to find it. If I do, I'll draw your attention to it.

Jesse

[Beast]

Mike Coburn - Soldier Five is still banned over here by the MOD.

[Andy O'Pray]

McNab has been on CNN a few times over the last couple of days as one of the armchair experts.

Aye - Andy.

[Aurumlupus]

What about Cameron Spences book "Sabre Squadron"? Is it more fiction than fact?

Also are there any books out there about the SAS that are relatively factual?

[Guest]

Everest i have read them all and the Real Bravo 2 Zero sums up the situation for me the writer wasnt just doing it for moertary gain you have to say its a fiction based on facts

[Guest]

i ofcourse meant monertary gain for the critics on the forum

[El Prez]

Name and shame Wilkinson! Who would they be?:lol:

i ofcourse meant monertary gain for the critics on the forum

There's only one R in Monetary. If you are going to cover your arse do it with a ten man tent, much safer.

[voodoo sprout]

While I have read Sabre squadron I haven't read any other accounts of the same operation, but haven't heard of any arguements against it. That doesn't mean it's true, it could just be not so audacious as B20 so no-one bothers with it . It did have a much more realistic feel to me, for instance there was only one major firefight detailed with no stories of heaps of dead iraqis, while a fair bit of effort went ino describing th simple aspects, banter between vehicles crws, practical jokes played on each other and so on. as such I think this is probably as realistic as any modern SAS books are going ot be (taking into account that a lot of it will be censored and/or changed).

[joe]

I'd suggest reading the former RSM's book, I think it's called 'Eye of the Storm'. Doesn't pull any punches, but tells it as he sees it. Quite my style really. Also, he's obviously not in it for the money ... he's not one of these bloody authors that writes one book, then writes about fifty follow up books which are fiction-based-on-fact.

I was disappointed to see Duncan Falconer has started down that route, as I saw an ad on a bill board down in London for some new book he's written - think it was called 'The Operator' or something. And all this after his little prose in the prologue of First into Action ... I thought it wasn't about ego Duncan? And what happened to trying to keep a low profile?

[Guest]

EL PREZ i will be watching

[qcnr]

I have just read the book The real story B20

What strikes me is that this man has nothing to gain by either confirming
or rebuking the book B20 and the one that got away.

Obviously this man has a great understanding of the arab, bedouin
culture and language. He was simply a man out to try and find the facts
as they were.

I think the greatest lesson to be learned from the book is when McNab
and Co were fired upon by the 3 bedouin, that had they simply known
a little about the culture of the people in that country they could have
continued in their mission.
The man wasnt firing 2 rounds at them to engage but as a normal
Bedouin custom when approached by strangers.
Had they welcomed them there would have been no firefight.

I believe B20 to have been embelished, otherwise it wouldnt have been
selable.

[Deniable_Operative]

I agree with that.

Chris Ryan may have embellished his account a little at the request of the publishers to make it "sellable", but Andy McNab maybe went a little too far.

"Soldier 5" by Mike Coburn is out in the UK on 5th February 2004.

check amazon.co.uk for details