The new face of American war

With The Wire recently wrapping up its final season on HBO, David Simon and Ed Burns have moved onto their newest project, substituting the rough-and-tumble streets of Baltimore with the rough-and-tumble streets of Baghdad. Not sure which place is more dangerous these days.

The first installment of Generation Kill, a seven-part mini-series airs Sunday on HBO, adapted from Rolling Stones journalist Evan Wright’s account of traveling with the First Recon Battalion (probably the best book I didn’t finish reading this year. Library fines suck.)

Generation Kill follows the highly trained Marines of First Recon Battalion through the first 40 days of the Iraq war. The seven-part mini-series portrays the true story of the young Marines’ experience at the tip pf the spear of the American invsasion, as they contend with equipment shortages, incompetent commanding officers, ever-evolving Rules of Engagement and an unclear strategy.

Check out the trailer below, and a recent New York Times review. Looks like a guaranteed winner! I’ll be back on Monday with a review.