'This place isn't worth the left boot of one of our boys': Geopolitics, militarism and memoirs of the Afghanistan war

► Military memoirs are an under-utilized source in critical geopolitical analysis. ► Reading memoirs through the lens of testimonio develops understanding of the genre. ► Memoirists' rationales for deployment question the logic of the war. ► Portrayals of other personnel and civilians emphasise British military specificity.