How Dexter Filkins became the definitive chronicler of the modern era's forever wars

History · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Renowned for his unflinching dispatches from Iraq and Afghanistan, Dexter Filkins has spent decades documenting the human cost of conflict. From his Pulitzer-winning reporting to his bestselling book, he has shaped our understanding of modern warfare, though his career has not been without its own share of controversy.

Born in Cincinnati in 1961, Dexter Filkins built a career defined by high-stakes international reporting. After earning degrees from the University of Florida and Oxford, he worked at the Miami Herald and the Los Angeles Times before joining The New York Times in 2000. His time in the Times' Baghdad bureau from 2003 to 2006 placed him at the center of the Iraq War, earning him widespread acclaim as the premier combat journalist of his generation.

His 2008 book, The Forever War, cemented his reputation, winning the National Book Critics Circle Award and earning praise from major outlets like Time and The Washington Post. His accolades include two Pulitzer Prizes—one as part of a team in 2009—and two George Polk Awards, including one for his coverage of the 2004 assault on Fallujah. His work often explores the intersection of military strategy and human suffering, such as his 2011 essay "Bedrooms of the Fallen."

Despite his critical success, Filkins has faced scrutiny. In 2018, he reported on unusual internet traffic between a Trump Organization server and Russia's Alfa Bank. While the story generated significant attention, subsequent analysis by the FBI and the Columbia Journalism Review indicated that the claims were unsubstantiated and had been debunked by investigators. This episode serves as a reminder of the complexities inherent in investigative journalism during polarized times.

Currently writing for The New Yorker, Filkins continues to cover global affairs, ranging from the Syrian conflict to environmental threats like the Mosul Dam. His career remains a testament to the evolving nature of war reporting, where the line between definitive historical record and contested narrative is often thin. His body of work, spanning decades of conflict, remains a primary reference for those seeking to understand the geopolitical shifts of the 21st century.

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