Lone Survivor unfolds during the global War on Terror, instigated by the US in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Operation Red Wings, which Luttrell’s account focuses on, is a subset of the larger US-led military campaign in Afghanistan started in October 2001. A nuanced understanding of this geopolitical milieu and the prevailing military goals is pivotal to grasp the weight of the SEAL team’s decisions.

The US entered Afghanistan to dismantle al-Qaeda, a terrorist organization. Al-Qaeda’s leader, Osama bin Laden, orchestrated the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The US also aimed to dethrone the Taliban, a Sunni Islamist organization that sheltered al-Qaeda. By 2005, the conflict had morphed into a multifaceted insurgency against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), whose forces had built up in Afghanistan, with the Taliban and other militant factions in the mix. Given Afghanistan’s intricate political and geographical challenges, traditional warfare often proved ineffective. This underscored the importance of Special Operations forces, like the Navy SEALs, who are adept at executing missions beyond the reach of regular troops.

Specifically, Operation Red Wings looked to counter local militia activity by neutralizing a top-tier Taliban figure. This mission represented a microcosm of the overarching US strategy: stabilizing an insurgent stronghold.