by Andrew J. Bacevich
from Oxford University Press, USA
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Editorial ReviewIn this provocative book, Andrew Bacevich warns of a dangerous dual obsession that has taken hold of Americans, conservatives, and liberals alike. It is a marriage of militarism and utopian ideology--of unprecedented military might wed to a blind faith in the universality of American values. This mindset, the author warns, invites endless war and the ever-deepening militarization of U.S. policy. It promises not to perfect but to pervert American ideals and to accelerate the hollowing out of American democracy. As it alienates others, it will leave the United States increasingly isolated. It will end in bankruptcy, moral as well as economic, and in abject failure.
With The New American Militarism, which has been updated with a new Afterword, Bacevich examines the origins and implications of this misguided enterprise. He shows how American militarism emerged as a reaction to the Vietnam War. Various groups in American society--soldiers, politicians on the make, intellectuals, strategists, Christian evangelicals, even purveyors of pop culture--came to see the revival of military power and the celebration of military values as the antidote to all the ills besetting the country as a consequence of Vietnam and the 1960s. The upshot, acutely evident in the aftermath of 9/11, has been a revival of vast ambitions and certainty, this time married to a pronounced affinity for the sword. Bacevich urges us to restore a sense of realism and a sense of proportion to U.S. policy. He proposes, in short, to bring American purposes and American methods--especially with regard to the role of the military--back into harmony with the nation's founding ideals.
Customer Reviews:
- Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
- Great book, but...
For a foreigner (Colombian), who went to engineering school and lived in the US for five years, enjoying american life style and many personal friendships, the book is well intentioned. Basically, there never will be "victory" for the US in Irak, but the entrenched garrison within the green zone will permit continuity of the exploitation of Irak's natural resource, oil, on a compulsary basis. Changing oil for blood is a sad fact, and the ratio of american casualties (a few thousand), to civil iraqui... more info
- A Panaramic Analysis of American Militarism.
"The New American Militarism-How Americans Are Seduced by War" is an analysis of the subject from multiple viewpoints. Andrew Bacevich examines American militarism from the point of: politicians, the military, evangelical Christians, and society in general.
In the Preface the author is quite candid and humble about himself, his idealogy, and some of the experiences that helped form his positions.
"Some will misread this as cynicism. It is instead the absence of illusion."
He doesn't attempt... more info
- The Danger in having a voluntary Army in an Empire Nation
Andrew Bacevich as a graduate of West Point, Vietnam veteran, and Army Colonel knows what he is talking about when he calmly but with piercing clarity lays out the dangers in America's preoccupation with military power. He writes with great understanding of the military and explains why we are placing too much emphasis on war, soldiers, and military solutions.
- The New Militarism
I was mesmerized listening to the author as he was interviewed on PBS with Bill Moyers; I was even more taken by his eloquence and sholarship which plainly expresses his views about our obsession with the military and how to balance our concerns for our protection with our civilian responsibility. He offers 10 clear and excellent suggestions, and note upon note about his resources. His is a historical and personal view.
I recommend it to all.
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