American Force

Dangers, Delusions, and Dilemmas in National Security

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, International, International Relations
Cover of the book American Force by Richard Betts, Columbia University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Richard Betts ISBN: 9780231521888
Publisher: Columbia University Press Publication: December 6, 2011
Imprint: Columbia University Press Language: English
Author: Richard Betts
ISBN: 9780231521888
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication: December 6, 2011
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Language: English

While American national security policy has grown more interventionist since the Cold War, Washington has also hoped to shape the world on the cheap. Misled by the stunning success against Iraq in 1991, administrations of both parties have pursued ambitious aims with limited force, committing the country's military frequently yet often hesitantly, with inconsistent justification. These ventures have produced strategic confusion, unplanned entanglements, and indecisive results. This collection of essays by Richard K. Betts, a leading international politics scholar, investigates the use of American force since the end of the Cold War, suggesting guidelines for making it more selective and successful.

Betts brings his extensive knowledge of twentieth century American diplomatic and military history to bear on the full range of theory and practice in national security, surveying the Cold War roots of recent initiatives and arguing that U.S. policy has always been more unilateral than liberal theorists claim. He exposes mistakes made by humanitarian interventions and peace operations; reviews the issues raised by terrorism and the use of modern nuclear, biological, and cyber weapons; evaluates the case for preventive war, which almost always proves wrong; weighs the lessons learned from campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam; assesses the rise of China and the resurgence of Russia; quells concerns about civil-military relations; exposes anomalies within recent defense budgets; and confronts the practical barriers to effective strategy. Betts ultimately argues for greater caution and restraint, while encouraging more decisive action when force is required, and he recommends a more dispassionate assessment of national security interests, even in the face of global instability and unfamiliar threats.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

While American national security policy has grown more interventionist since the Cold War, Washington has also hoped to shape the world on the cheap. Misled by the stunning success against Iraq in 1991, administrations of both parties have pursued ambitious aims with limited force, committing the country's military frequently yet often hesitantly, with inconsistent justification. These ventures have produced strategic confusion, unplanned entanglements, and indecisive results. This collection of essays by Richard K. Betts, a leading international politics scholar, investigates the use of American force since the end of the Cold War, suggesting guidelines for making it more selective and successful.

Betts brings his extensive knowledge of twentieth century American diplomatic and military history to bear on the full range of theory and practice in national security, surveying the Cold War roots of recent initiatives and arguing that U.S. policy has always been more unilateral than liberal theorists claim. He exposes mistakes made by humanitarian interventions and peace operations; reviews the issues raised by terrorism and the use of modern nuclear, biological, and cyber weapons; evaluates the case for preventive war, which almost always proves wrong; weighs the lessons learned from campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam; assesses the rise of China and the resurgence of Russia; quells concerns about civil-military relations; exposes anomalies within recent defense budgets; and confronts the practical barriers to effective strategy. Betts ultimately argues for greater caution and restraint, while encouraging more decisive action when force is required, and he recommends a more dispassionate assessment of national security interests, even in the face of global instability and unfamiliar threats.

More books from Columbia University Press

Cover of the book The Origins of Business, Money, and Markets by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Investing: The Last Liberal Art by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Psychoanalysis and the Human Sciences by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Water from Heaven by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Speaking for Buddhas by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Slow Boat to China and Other Stories by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Sustaining India's Growth Miracle by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Italian Cuisine by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Discontinuities in Ecosystems and Other Complex Systems by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Pasta by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Secular Translations by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Subjects of Desire by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Best Practices for Social Work with Refugees and Immigrants by Richard Betts
Cover of the book The Columbia Companion to the Twentieth-Century American Short Story by Richard Betts
Cover of the book Law and Order by Richard Betts
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy