“In media coverage of the war, Afghans are often characterized as corru...” — Elliot Ackerman Quote

“In media coverage of the war, Afghans are often characterized as corrupt and deceitful. There has certainly been plenty of corruption and deceit in this conflict, but why? What inspires these behaviors? In 'Green on Blue,' I wanted to render a world that is often overlooked: that of the average Afghans who are helping America wage its war.”

“Literature has always been a part of my life. I studied history and literature in college. My mother is a novelist; I grew up around books.”

“The fact is that Iran doesn't want to see the Taliban come back any more than do most Afghan citizens.”

“Balkh is now little more than a sleepy Afghan town of overgrown ruins forgotten by the world. On market day, down lanes that wind through apple orchards and cherry orchards, merchants slowly make their way to the central bazaar, their wares teetering on donkey carts.”

“Look at the Afghans, during the time of the Soviet invasion. They were among the poorest Muslims in the world, yet they were sustained by their faith in God, and God alone.”