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A review by dingakaa
America's War for the Greater Middle East by Andrew J. Bacevich
5.0
From the outset, I was immediately impressed by the precision and efficiency of the writing. There is not a wasted sentence; each communicates a point that flows smoothly from one page to the next. The deft in-text referencing betrays the author as a scholar and makes it all the more pleasurable to read.
From the standpoint of content, his combination of scholar and soldier give the book a perspective and objectivity that is all-too-necessary when discussing America's foreign policy. His unforgiving criticisms spare no individuals or party as he weaves a thread through recent American military history to demonstrate America's abuse of power and inability to execute its aims. He paints a grim picture, but one that needs painting as the political and media propaganda supporting military news rarely tell the truth. Bacevich also strikes a fine balance between relating facts and drawing conclusions. He very rarely creates a narrative to support his theory, often showing what is easy to see in plain sight and almost allowing the reader to pass judgment. When he does lean on the reader to absorb his opinion, it is well supported.
My one issue with the book is the dedication of a single sentence to the killing of Osama Bin Laden. That momentous event was preceded by much discussion in the public sphere, ample political maneuvring, and was our most notable example in the new millenium of decapitation as the American military's prime goal. Why he gave it such short shift, despite discussing other "decapitations" for these very same reasons, escapes me. It is not enough to downgrade the book to four stars, but the text is worsened slightly because of it.
Overall, this book should become a feature on the bookshelf of anyone interested in contemporary history, and would do well as teaching material for those (most of us, really) ignorant of the facts. For those of us too young to remember, or born after, Desert Storm, 9/11 and the ensuing Gulf War stand out as remarkable events devoid of precedent. This book serves to place them in a historical context that shows just the opposite. It is important to understand.
From the standpoint of content, his combination of scholar and soldier give the book a perspective and objectivity that is all-too-necessary when discussing America's foreign policy. His unforgiving criticisms spare no individuals or party as he weaves a thread through recent American military history to demonstrate America's abuse of power and inability to execute its aims. He paints a grim picture, but one that needs painting as the political and media propaganda supporting military news rarely tell the truth. Bacevich also strikes a fine balance between relating facts and drawing conclusions. He very rarely creates a narrative to support his theory, often showing what is easy to see in plain sight and almost allowing the reader to pass judgment. When he does lean on the reader to absorb his opinion, it is well supported.
My one issue with the book is the dedication of a single sentence to the killing of Osama Bin Laden. That momentous event was preceded by much discussion in the public sphere, ample political maneuvring, and was our most notable example in the new millenium of decapitation as the American military's prime goal. Why he gave it such short shift, despite discussing other "decapitations" for these very same reasons, escapes me. It is not enough to downgrade the book to four stars, but the text is worsened slightly because of it.
Overall, this book should become a feature on the bookshelf of anyone interested in contemporary history, and would do well as teaching material for those (most of us, really) ignorant of the facts. For those of us too young to remember, or born after, Desert Storm, 9/11 and the ensuing Gulf War stand out as remarkable events devoid of precedent. This book serves to place them in a historical context that shows just the opposite. It is important to understand.