Don't Wait For The Next War: Rethinking America's Global Mission

by Wesley K. Clark

Can America have a real national strategy and move forward together without the focus of war? In the twentieth century, America came together to become the "Arsenal of Democracy," and emerged from World War II as the greatest power in the world. We shaped a global civilization in our own values, first with international institutions and our allies, then triumphing over our long-term adversary, the Soviet Union to emerge as the world's lone superpower. But in losing our adversary, America's leadership has founded. We have not replaced our post-World War II strategic vision with something appropriate for a postwar role. In Syria, and more broadly across the Middle East, bellicosity has not served us well and we look adrift in the face of that region’s turbulence. Guns and swords don’t seem to help.

America’s new challenges, global in scope, not amenable to military solutions, require intricate interdependence between government and the private sector. Terrorism, cybersecurity, financial system vulnerabilities, the rise of China, and accelerating climate change constitute a new class of national security challenges—and meeting these will require America to revisit hallowed mythologies and concert domestic and foreign policies in a way which has never before been achieved. All the resources are at hand, but will we have the vision and will to lead? Based on his experience at the highest levels in the military, politics and business, Wesley Clark offers a way forward, if only the American people will demand it of their elected leaders.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, History

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2014

About the author

Wesley Kanne Clark, Sr., KBE is a retired general of the United States Army. Graduating as valedictorian of his class at West Point, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford where he obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and later graduated from the Command and General Staff College with a master's degree in military science. He spent 34 years in the Army and the Department of Defense, receiving many military decorations, several honorary knighthoods, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Clark commanded Operation Allied Force in the Kosovo War during his term as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1997 to 2000.

Clark joined the 2004 race for the Democratic Party presidential nomination as a candidate on September 17, 2003, but withdrew from the primary race on February 11, 2004, after winning the Oklahoma state primary, endorsing and campaigning for the eventual Democratic nominee, John Kerry. Clark currently leads a political action committee—"WesPAC"—which was formed after the 2004 primaries, and used it to support numerous Democratic Party candidates in the 2006 midterm elections. Clark was considered a potential candidate for the Democratic nomination in 2008, but, on September 15, 2007, endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton. After Clinton dropped out of the Presidential race, Clark endorsed the then-presumptive Democratic nominee, Barack Obama. Clark currently serves as the co-chairman of Growth Energy, an ethanol lobbying group.

Reviews

[Astrid Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite being written by Wesley K. Clark, a four star general and veteran of both the Vietnam and Kosovo wars, Don't Wait For The Next War: Rethinking America's Global Mission is not about war or military strategy. It is about how America can avoid another war.
Clark identifies five key challenges of terrorism, cybersecurity, the US financial system, China and climate change. He argues that the United States must address these in order to develop (and as a pivotal part of) a new national strategy. Indeed, Clark talks of a Grand Strategy akin to when the United States embraced total war after Pearl Harbour and anti-Communism throughout the Cold War.
This is not a partisan book. Clark advocates for consensus as a part of the Grand Strategy even as he notes that 'the two major American political parties have been forced further apart than at any other time since World War II, and perhaps since the American Civil War (page 127).
While not all of Wesley K. Clark's economic and socio-political observations stack up, this is a worthy read for those looking for a broad and bold new approach to thinking about America's place in the world.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was initially misled by the title of General Wesley Clark's latest book, "Don't Wait for the Next War", wrongly assuming it would have something to do with our recent wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, and perhaps how to avoid the "next" war. The sub-title: "A strategy for American Growth and Global Leadership" gives a more accurate description of the book. His book is not about war or military matters as I initially suspected, but instead takes a good hard look at the policies and challenges facing the United States today, analyzing each, and offering his thoughts on addressing each. Topics include relations with various Countries, especially China, but also touching on Europe, Russia, Africa, etc. Additionally, he discusses the seriousness of cybersecurity, banking regulations, economic development, climate change, and a variety of other significant issues facing us today.
While I've heard nothing about General Clark considering a run in the next Presidential election, this book and the timing of its release makes me wonder if he's considering a run for office. It's the kind of book that other candidates tend to release just prior to their declaration of running for office, except that actual candidates often write in generalities in order to offend no one, and offer few specific programs. General Clark probably is not considering a run for office, because he does offer some specific ideas and programs, several of which use toxic terms like "tax" and "regulation" and "government programs", almost certain to cost him consideration from half the Country. But I think his ideas should be heard, considered, and debated, even if Congress is unable to compromise and move the Country forward in these important areas.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

He means, 'Don't wait for the next war to get your sh*t together.' The US has a habit of coasting on its self-proclaimed exceptionalism, right up until the explosion of a situation it’s neglected (or created). Clark is the refreshing military lifer who believes that the US military is not the answer to every situation. All foreign affairs are not nails, and the US military is not the right hammer every time. He reiterates Eisenhower's warnings against those who wish to build up the American military-industrial complex. A wonderfully moderate unpacking of US military history and foreign policy since World War I.

[Book Shark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t Wait for the Next War: A Strategy for American Growth and Global Leadership by Wesley K. Clark

“Don’t Wait for the Next War” is a solid, succinct and accessible book on national strategies. Retired four-star general in the United States Army, consultant, and author Wesley K. Clark provides readers with a well thought-out book in which he makes the compelling case for the development of a comprehensive national strategy that addresses the long-term issues confronting the United States at home and abroad. This straight-forward 272-page book includes the following seven chapters: 1. The American Strategic Experience, 2. How America Ended Up in the Middle East, 3. Five Challenges for a New National Strategy, 4. American Power at an Inflection Point, 5. Reversing the Inflection Point, 6. New Tools for a New Era, and 7.Answering the Strategic Challenges.

Positives:
1. A well-written, concise and even-handed book on foreign and national policies for the masses.
2. A very important and interesting topic in the very capable hands of Wesley Clark. Clark has a great command on topics of national security and is able to convey it in a lucid manner.
3. A fair and even-handed book as you will find. Clark’s focus is strictly on how best we serve our interests and that of the globe.
4. The main theme of this book is the need to rethink our role and set new objectives and priorities. The book stays focused throughout.
5. This is a thought-provoking book. “So the challenge for the United States is this: At this crucial pivot point, how can the United States find its role in the world without the galvanizing focus of the next war?”
6. Makes the compelling case for a strategy. “What is missing is the big, inclusive picture—a vision that links both our foreign-policy and security issues with our economic power at home, a strategy that is not so completely derived from one administration that it is automatically distrusted by the rival political party.”
7. Offers a brief history in the past that provided unique opportunities for a unified national strategy.
8. A fascinating look at what really drove the war against Iraq. “I always felt that the underlying rationale behind the invasion was more strategic. It was really about the neoconservative agenda sketched out that day in May 1991, in Undersecretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz’s office, and reflected in that 2001 Pentagon memo—to drive out the old Soviet surrogate leaders, institute democratic reform in the Middle East, maintain dominance in the region, and control access by our rivals and potential adversaries to the region’s oil resources. It would prove to be a policy of historic overreach.”
9. Interesting insights. “Hariri waved his hand and cut me off with a smile. ‘That won’t work here,’ he said. ‘In this region you can’t insist on political rights first—there is no tradition of democracy. You have to start with economic rights, and put in place systems of commercial law which enable all citizens to have economic opportunity.’ It was obvious that he was right.”
10. Sound conclusions. “Not only did the US invasion of Iraq contribute to instabilities in the region, we also opened the door for the rising power of Iran. China was also a “winner,” deepening its regional relationships at our expense. Even more significantly, the war in Iraq anesthetized us to some of the other, more strategic challenges we are facing today.”
11. One of the strengths of the book, the five challenges for a new national strategy: Terrorism, Cybersecurity, US Financial System, China, and Climate Change. Clark does a solid job of justifying and explaining these challenges. “This set of five strategic challenges—terrorism, cybersecurity, the US financial system, the rise of China, and global climate change—collectively constitute a set of challenges that is fundamentally different from the ones we have dealt with in the past.”
12. Troubling facts disclosed. “In 2012, the richest 10 percent received more than half of all income generated in the United States, the largest share since recordkeeping began in the United States in 1917. According to a 2013 study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the level of income inequality in the United States is far above the average; it is exceeded only by Turkey, Mexico, and Chile.”
13. Interesting insights on China. “One factor that looms large in terms of systemic risk is China, the largest foreign holder of US debt, the world’s second-largest economic power behind the United States, and the most populous nation, with more than 1.3 billion people. China’s middle class is larger than the entire population of the United States. Its GDP is $8.2 trillion; according to recent calculations it has already overtaken the United States in “purchasing power,” and it could overtake the United States in nominal GDP as the world’s largest economy sometime between 2020 and 2030.” Also a look at China’s strategy.
14. Interesting look at our influence around the world. “America’s weakened financial position and fractious politics have not been lost on the rest of the world. America is perceived abroad as having more limited resources than in the past and a difficult, perhaps broken, political system. There is widespread acknowledgment that the United States’ long and frustrating engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan were largely unsuccessful. And these perceptions impact American influence in the world.”
15. Makes the compelling case for energy independence plus. “Energy independence could become the centerpiece of a new American strategy, built not on military might but on economic strength.”
16. List new tools that will help us broaden our economic influence. “The role of governments is critical, not only to provide the right legal framework, but also, pragmatically, to identify and incentivize development in the sectors of greatest strategic advantage for each country.”
17. Discloses a framework on how to address the five key strategic challenges. He calls it the Energy-Enabled Strategy or E2S.
18. Interesting views on how to work with China. “In the end, the degree to which we can manage a balanced relationship with China, directly and bilaterally, depends on the relative strengths of the United States and China. Restoring vigorous US economic growth, fixing our unemployment problems, refurbishing our infrastructure, improving US public education, and demonstrating that the US political system works are all key elements of establishing the proper foundation for US-China relations.”
19. A brief list on how to apply America’s strength to the world by region. “India and Pakistan both have vast coal resources that could be turned cleanly into fuel and power with available US commercial technologies.”
20. Notes included.

Negatives:
1. Intended to be a succinct look at foreign policy and at home, so it does lack depth.
2. Doesn’t address to my satisfaction how we are going to compel a right-wing Congress to accept climate change let alone how they are going to address it.
3. No supplementary material. That is, no graphs, charts, or other kinds of visual material that would have added value.
4. No formal bibliography.

In summary, I enjoy reading well-written books on foreign policy and this one met my expectations. Clark makes the great case for the need of a strategy and delineates clearly what ails us and what can potentially get us back on the road to recovery. The retired four-star general is obviously well connected and shares interesting insights that make this book a treat to read. I highly recommend it!

Further recommendations: “Foreign Policy Begins At Home” by Richard N. Haass, “The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars” by Michael E. Mann, “Energy for Future Presidents” by Richard A. Muller, “This Changes Everything” by Naomi Klein, “Nuclear 2.0” by Mark Lynas, “Restraint” by Barry R. Posen, “Duty” by Robert M. Gates, “Hard Choices” by Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Cyber War” by Richard A. Clarke, “That Used to be Us” by Thomas L. Friedman, and “On China” by Henry Kissinger.

[Steve Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the unabridged audiobook.

Clark starts off listing the challenges America faces strategically and nails it. It’s a bit frightening when the litany of problems we face is recited thus.

His answer to these issues don’t satisfy. His energy independence concept, combined with carbon taxes, left contradictions he didn’t answer adequately and suggested it would dump far more carbon in the atmosphere than before.

Disc 6, where Clark ventures into economics (which he taught) was opaque. I simply haven’t the background nor the needed mastery of economics to understand the jargon he employed. It was totally beyond me.

He seems intent on making everyone happy. Converting coal into liquid gas, for instance, would certainly please the failing coal industry. What then?

He never fully addresses electric cars or energy storage, if at all.

Worth listening to, but with the foreknowledge that these some of his suggestions are pie in the sky solutions.

[SR Bolton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Many good ideas, but few of them original or sufficiently developed to understand how they might have been applied to effect had he run for office again (why else write this book?). If you liked his previous book, you’ll like this one also.

[Raf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went to my local town hall a couple of years ago to see and hear General Clark promote this new book that he had released at that time. A former presidential candidate (2004) for the Democratic Party and Supreme Allied Commander during the war in Kosovo, Wesley Clark has some serious credentials and accomplishments. Don’t Wait For The Next War is mainly about 5 challenges that the United States faces heading into the future. They are: Terrorism, Cyber Security, The U.S. Financial System, China, and Climate Change. Although I didn’t agree with everything that he said, I respect General Clark’s positions on these issues and appreciate his ability to articulate his point of view. My only hiccup is that at times he tries to be too careful about how he presents his ideas. I realize you have to walk a fine line to be able to rise through the ranks and promote all the way to a rank of four-star General. However, now that he is no longer in that position, it would be nice to know what Wesley Clark, not General Clark really thinks.

I also wasn’t particularly impressed how much he emphasized continuing offshore drilling for oil, fracking, and bio-fuel farming. I was hoping he would emphasize the need to develop and market renewable energy such as solar, wind, and geothermal more but he is entitled to his opinion. Either way, had he been running for president today, I would have easily voted for him. Wesley Clark can think rationally, make good arguments, and work tirelessly to bring people from different sides of the political spectrum together. Right now, that is just the kind of leadership we need.

[Bob Cunningham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Misleading.
What promises from all the trailers to be an insight into the War on Terror and the position and motivation of the Western governments to it, is actually no more than one retired general's daydream of economic progress for the US.
I have no idea as to the science involved, but this comes across as a diatribe from someone who has been sold an idea (E2S) by some cleverer boys and has dived headlong into support for it as a way to keep his fading star in the fermament.
He clearly fails to appreciate how the US is viewed in the world and his style is ponderous and pseudo intellectual (one more 'three letter acronym (TLA) and I'd have screamed!).
Unless you have a direct interest in theories of energy alternatives and the potential US use of them, then avoid like the plague.
You will get little terrorism insight here.

[David Rubin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wesley Clark makes the case for a reduced U.S. involvement in Middle East affairs, but not a full withdrawal from international affairs. He comes down on the side of U.S. leadership within common solutions with our allies.

After his foray into military and international strategy, Gen. Clark discusses how to solve all of America's economic problems, centering on a more aggressive oil and gas drilling and energy independence. For example, he calls for increased drilling on public lands. In some areas the book sounds as if it were written by the American Petroleum Institute. One can only wonder who is on his client list.

[Maureen Flatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gen. Wes Clark has written an important new book that should be a must read not just for everyone who cares about this country but especially for our elected officials…….like our new Congressman here in Massachusetts Seth W. Moulton, Gen. Clark possesses both the moral authority and a depth of personal experience to the topic. Can't recommend this highly enough.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very refreshing look at a middle of the road view on the problems facing the United States and how to solve them.

[Tim Urban · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too simplistic about Utilizing fissile fuel energy to build our economy