Project XX

The fourth standing order of Roger's Rangers was "Tell the truth about what you see and what you do. There is an army depending on us for correct information. You can lie all you please when you tell other folks about the Rangers, but don't never lie to a Ranger or officer." Insert SAS for Rangers and I'm sure the same standing order applies for the SAS. The general public is neither Ranger (SAS) or an officer. McNab and Ryan were not inclined to follow this fourth standing order when writing their books. Indeed when you get right down to it, the SAS would have been more upset with them if they had been 100% truthful. Consider the fact the that the SAS and the British Government went to court to stop the publication of Coburn's "Soldiers Five" which is probably the most accurate of all books written by surviving patrol members. Asher's book notes that much of the Rambo stuff in Ryan's and McNab's books was not mentioned in the official Regimental debrief. This is a clue that Ryan and McNab knew when to to tell the truth (to the SAS) and when to spin a good story ( to the civilians to read over crumpets and tea). Asher's makes it clear in the beginning that his purpose was to find out what happened to Vince Phillips and clear his name, if possible. It was obvious to many people that Phillips was catching a lot of blame in the books that was flat out unjust. Even Ryan and McNab have recanted parts of their books concerning Vince Phillips since the publications of their books.. In short if you want a good read with lots of shoot'em ups, read McNab and Ryan. If you want to read a more truthful account with not so much gun play, read Coburn's "Soldier Five." If you are looking for a clear perspective on the B-2-0 patrol, from a more objective view point, then check out Asher's The Real Bravo Two Zero. Yes, Asher throws some blame on McNab and Ryan, but in fairness to Asher, McNab and Ryan opened themselves up to the criticism when they (1) wrote their books and (2) broke the Regimental Code of Silence. Asher explains that Vince suffered a leg injury when leaving the LUP by the MSR. The Iraqi tell of a bllod trail at the scene, which means he was not only injured but lost blood. He attempted to remain with the patrol as best he could but also proved to be a burden to the patrol, especially to Ryan. Ryan, in turn had to live with the guilt of leaving a man behind who would most certainly die without assistance. If you want to get a good understanding of what happened, then Asher's story is probably closer to the truth but needs to also be read with caution. Quite Frankly I have a hard time believing that Bedouins never lie. My guess is the Bedouins also follow Roger's 4th standing order and Asher is not a Bedouin. For instance, they may not have known exactly where Phillips died but were probably close to the right spot. They may have also been a little reluctant to admit to maybe beating on prisoners a little bit when the

Of all the SAS Gulf War 1 related books, this one is the most misunderstood. People either read it and slam Mcnab and Ryan for being liars, or they find some criticism for Asher trying to 'cash in' on the Bravo 2/0 bandwagon. Asher's treatment of Mcnab and Ryan is fairly gentle and respectful. He states in the beginning that he just wanted to get to the bottom of what really happened to his friend, Vince (one of the deceased members of the patrol), and despite inconsistancies of the stories, wasn't on a dirt digging mission. I found in some parts he was almost apologising for Ryan and Mcnab. He acknowledges, and emphasises just how incredible a feat their 3 or so days of E & E in the desert, and during one of the coldest winters Iraq had seen for a long time (we're talking colder than England in the winter), really was. Asher does his best to retrace the footsteps of the patrol, and gives credit where it is due. But he also presents his evidence when fact and fiction clash (I was a still new to the Army and the cavalry when Mcnab's book started doing the rounds and even then I found it hard to swallow Mcnabs account of 'armoured vehicle' killing). The real stories in this book are one man's love of a region and it's people, his journey to uncover a truth and the incredible story of human endurance and survival he discovered instead. Read it with this in mind and you'll find yourself reading it a second time.

The level of investigative effort Asher puts into this book is extreme. And yes, he seems the perfect character to uncover the truth too, being experienced in both the SAS and in Arabic culture, first hand. The book impresses the reader with an honesty missing from McNab's and Ryan's books, without condemning them for wanting to make a truckload of money from their stories.

I always thought that the B20 story was a little bit fictitious and Michael Asher puts forward a convincing logic to his story. If you read his findings you'll start to see holes appear in McNab's and Ryan's versions. By Asher's accounts, these men have already disgraced the regiment by bad-mouthing a fallen comrade and lied about/embellished the rest. Asher goes back to the LUP, where the whole cock-up begins, and then traces the supposed journey all the way through to its conclusion by talking to local people who were present at the time. Unless the whole of the Iraqi people were there to spin a yarn, it's hard to deny that the truth is not what is in the other books. There is no disgrace in the truth.

Asher wasn't trying to "put the boot in" with this book - quite the opposite. He was trying to rehabilitate the late Sgt. Vince Phillips, who both McNab and Ryan criticized in their accounts. Asher's background as both an Arabist and former Territorial SAS member gives him a rare insight into the story of Bravo Two Zero. He can explain both the tactical aspects of desert warfare (and spot where McNab and Ryan's claims don't add up) and the reactions of the Bedouin and Iraqis they were among. Against all the odds (and despite the efforts of his Iraqi handlers) he manages to find and interview many of the key Iraqi players in the story - the goatherd who first breaks their cover, for instance. These interviews open up new perspectives on the B20 story, and give some insight into Iraqi and Bedouin culture. Some things turn out to have happened differently than McNab/Ryan claimed; some things they couldn't have understood at the time, with their lack of Arabic and understanding of Arabic society. The Real Bravo Two Zero isn't as racy as Bravo Two Zero or The One That Got Away, but there are enough unexpected twists and surprising revelations to keep you reading. If you enjoyed either of the above books and want to know how much to believe, or want a wider perspective on the story, this book's well worth it.