The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor

Jake Tapper

Nov 2012 · Sold by Little, Brown

About this ebook

The basis of the film starring Orlando Bloom and Scott Eastwood, The Outpost is the heartbreaking and inspiring story of one of America's deadliest battles during the war in Afghanistan, acclaimed by critics everywhere as a classic.

At 5:58 AM on October 3rd, 2009, Combat Outpost Keating, located in frighteningly vulnerable terrain in Afghanistan just 14 miles from the Pakistani border, was viciously attacked. Though the 53 Americans there prevailed against nearly 400 Taliban fighters, their casualties made it the deadliest fight of the war for the U.S. that year. Four months after the battle, a Pentagon review revealed that there was no reason for the troops at Keating to have been there in the first place.
In The Outpost, Jake Tapper gives us the powerful saga of COP Keating, from its establishment to eventual destruction, introducing us to an unforgettable cast of soldiers and their families, and to a place and war that has remained profoundly distant to most Americans. A runaway bestseller, it makes a savage war real, and American courage manifest.

"The Outpost is a mind-boggling, all-too-true story of heroism, hubris, failed strategy, and heartbreaking sacrifice. If you want to understand how the war in Afghanistan went off the rails, you need to read this book." -- Jon Krakauer

Ratings and reviews

I believe this should be required reading for every U.S. citizen so they can understand just what has gone on over in Afghanistan. The storytelling in this book is impeccable and brings to life the remote and incredibly dangerous yet beautiful corner of the world that is Nuristan along with the lives both at home and abroad that have been impacted by what goes on there. Words can't explain how good this book is - you'll just have to read it and find out for yourself.

This book is often funny, always heartbreaking and forces you to see the soldiers, marines, and airmen deployed throughout Afghanistan for the individual Americans they are. Jake Tapper did us all a service by cutting the news reports, social stigmas, and popular bias away from the worldview of our armed service members, allowing us to honor their memory and patriotism by understanding what they did for us - and why.

A great but overwhelming read of the experiences of soldiers stationed at Combat Outpost Keating - located 14 mi from the Pakistani border and at the bottom of a valley in a tactically untenable position. Great insights on the progression of the base and the war for over 3 years and the consequences of decisions big and small, from the president on down to the soldiers on the ground.

About the author

CNN anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent Jake Tapper joined the network in January 2013. The Lead with Jake Tapper, his one-hour weekday program, debuted in March 2013. Tapper was named host of the network's Sunday morning show, State of the Union, in June 2015. Tapper has been a widely respected reporter in the nation's capital for more nearly 20 years. He is also the author of the bestseller The Outpost and the novel The Hellfire Club.