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Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts: The American Military in the Air, at Sea, and on the Ground
In this extraordinary book, Robert D. Kaplan lets readers experience up close the American military worldwide in the air, at sea, and on the flying in a B-2 bomber, living on a nuclear submarine, and traveling with a Stryker brigade on missions around the world. Provided unprecedented access, Kaplan moves from destroyers off the coast of Indonesia to submarines in the central Pacific, from simulated Iraqi training grounds in Alaska to technology bases in Las Vegas, from army and marine land forces in the heart of the Sahara Desert, to air bases in Guam and Thailand and beyond.
Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts provides not only a riveting ground-level portrait of the Global War on Terrorism on several continents, but also a gritty firsthand account of how U.S. soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen are protecting sea-lanes, providing disaster relief, contending with the military rise of China, fighting the war in Iraq, and crafting contingency plans for war with North Korea and Iran.
Expanding on Kaplan’s acclaimed Imperial Grunts, the first volume of his exploration of the American military, which “offers the reader an enlightened way to understand what is happening in the world” ( San Francisco Chronicle ), Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts shifts focus to the Pacific, where emerging Asian powers present vexing diplomatic and strategic challenges to U.S. influence. In this volume, Kaplan completes his analysis of army Special Forces and the marines, while also taking readers into the heart of the myriad tribal cultures of the air force, surface and subsurface navies, and the regular army’s Stryker
brigades. Kaplan goes deep into their highly technical and exotic worlds, and he tells this story through the words and perspectives of the enlisted personnel and junior officers themselves–men and women who, as he writes, have “had their national identities as Americans engraved in sharp bas-relief.”
This provocative and illuminating book, like Imperial Grunts before it, not only conveys the vast scope of America’s military commitments, which rarely make it into the news, but also shows us astonishing and vital operations right as they unfold–from the point of view of the troops themselves.
Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts provides not only a riveting ground-level portrait of the Global War on Terrorism on several continents, but also a gritty firsthand account of how U.S. soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen are protecting sea-lanes, providing disaster relief, contending with the military rise of China, fighting the war in Iraq, and crafting contingency plans for war with North Korea and Iran.
Expanding on Kaplan’s acclaimed Imperial Grunts, the first volume of his exploration of the American military, which “offers the reader an enlightened way to understand what is happening in the world” ( San Francisco Chronicle ), Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts shifts focus to the Pacific, where emerging Asian powers present vexing diplomatic and strategic challenges to U.S. influence. In this volume, Kaplan completes his analysis of army Special Forces and the marines, while also taking readers into the heart of the myriad tribal cultures of the air force, surface and subsurface navies, and the regular army’s Stryker
brigades. Kaplan goes deep into their highly technical and exotic worlds, and he tells this story through the words and perspectives of the enlisted personnel and junior officers themselves–men and women who, as he writes, have “had their national identities as Americans engraved in sharp bas-relief.”
This provocative and illuminating book, like Imperial Grunts before it, not only conveys the vast scope of America’s military commitments, which rarely make it into the news, but also shows us astonishing and vital operations right as they unfold–from the point of view of the troops themselves.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2007
22 people are currently reading
346 people want to read
About the author
Robert D. Kaplan
52 books1,266 followersRobert David Kaplan is an American journalist, currently a National Correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly. His writings have also been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Republic, The National Interest, Foreign Affairs and The Wall Street Journal, among other newspapers and publications, and his more controversial essays about the nature of U.S. power have spurred debate in academia, the media, and the highest levels of government. A frequent theme in his work is the reemergence of cultural and historical tensions temporarily suspended during the Cold War.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 10, 2013
-De los cimientos en los que se apoya una Hiperpotencia y, casi sin querer, de sus potenciales desafíos geopolíticos.-
Género. Ensayo.
Lo que nos cuenta. Paseo por diferentes acuartelamientos del ejército norteamericano, de la mano de un periodista, que le llevarán de una brigada Stryker en Alaska, a las fuerzas especiales en Mali y Colombia, pasando por estaciones de misiles, bombarderos B-2, destructores, submarinos nucleares y drones en el Extremo Oriente y el Pacífico, entre otros lugares y destacamentos.
¿Quiere saber más del libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Ensayo.
Lo que nos cuenta. Paseo por diferentes acuartelamientos del ejército norteamericano, de la mano de un periodista, que le llevarán de una brigada Stryker en Alaska, a las fuerzas especiales en Mali y Colombia, pasando por estaciones de misiles, bombarderos B-2, destructores, submarinos nucleares y drones en el Extremo Oriente y el Pacífico, entre otros lugares y destacamentos.
¿Quiere saber más del libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
February 9, 2014
A fast paced, straight-forward, honest talk on the state of the American military forces spread all over the world, updated until late 2006. Filled with lively analysis and real soldiers' opinions on their reasons for fighting and their viewpoints on country, freedom and life in general. Soldiers' talk and respectful, brilliant on the ground witness by Kaplan make this book -and his previous one- gems of contemporary journalism.
Humor: “I know where heaven is and it's Lithuania”, “The women are beautiful, pagan, with a practical view towards sex. Who says communism was bad? You're working three levels of advantages: you're a foreign male, you're a rich, exotic American, and their men are a bunch of drunken, criminal slobs.”
Humor with a twist of un-PCness from a soldier who had worked in the Texan state prison: “The death row inmates were easy to deal with -they didn't want to mess up their appeals by attacking a guard. I looked at their case files, though. I'll tell you something: they deserved to die. Texas doesn't bullshit, it executes.”
Here is the real people's talk, not the media-filtered PC babble and elitist preaching of the millionaire liberals. A tour of the world that pampered youths in America should read so they could learn to love their hated America in comparison with other countries like: “Thai mafias are disciplined. They provide some order and useful intelligence. In the Philippines the government is the mafia, and a poorly run one.”, “The corruption here, they all agreed, was a perfect fit with China's, whose own criminal networks couldn't wait to extract Filipino girls for prostitution and set up local methamphetamine rings.”
A sensible soldier talks: “I married a liberal, but I'm going to take her back to North Carolina, teach her how to shoot, and make a good Republican out of her.”, “There were nods of approval throughout the tent.”.
And the Iraqis also talk: “I like your soldiers. They are poor, simple people. The Army was the only opportunity they had. I can tell that by looking at them. In a way, they are in the same boat as us. They mean well, but what can they do?”
Another way -the Iraqi way- to look at Abu Ghraib: “If you are so serious about security, why did you Americans release prisoners from Abu Ghraib?”, “Here the words (Abu Ghraib) meant American weakness and lack of resolve, not human rights violations.”
Fairness of the liberal (in Europe it means Socialist) media, you say?: “Army Sgt. 1st class Paul Ray Smith of Tampa, Florida … awarded posthumously … the first Medal of honor in the Global War on Terrorism had drawn only 90 media mentions. By comparison, there had been 4,677 media mentions of the supposed Koran abuse at Guantánamo Bay”, etc.
And much, much more. A juicy analysis all through. And Kagan can write. He can't write a boring page. And everything calmly, never getting our of tone. Pure journalism is letting the facts and the people do the talk and just bring the picture into scope, not out of scope.
Humor: “I know where heaven is and it's Lithuania”, “The women are beautiful, pagan, with a practical view towards sex. Who says communism was bad? You're working three levels of advantages: you're a foreign male, you're a rich, exotic American, and their men are a bunch of drunken, criminal slobs.”
Humor with a twist of un-PCness from a soldier who had worked in the Texan state prison: “The death row inmates were easy to deal with -they didn't want to mess up their appeals by attacking a guard. I looked at their case files, though. I'll tell you something: they deserved to die. Texas doesn't bullshit, it executes.”
Here is the real people's talk, not the media-filtered PC babble and elitist preaching of the millionaire liberals. A tour of the world that pampered youths in America should read so they could learn to love their hated America in comparison with other countries like: “Thai mafias are disciplined. They provide some order and useful intelligence. In the Philippines the government is the mafia, and a poorly run one.”, “The corruption here, they all agreed, was a perfect fit with China's, whose own criminal networks couldn't wait to extract Filipino girls for prostitution and set up local methamphetamine rings.”
A sensible soldier talks: “I married a liberal, but I'm going to take her back to North Carolina, teach her how to shoot, and make a good Republican out of her.”, “There were nods of approval throughout the tent.”.
And the Iraqis also talk: “I like your soldiers. They are poor, simple people. The Army was the only opportunity they had. I can tell that by looking at them. In a way, they are in the same boat as us. They mean well, but what can they do?”
Another way -the Iraqi way- to look at Abu Ghraib: “If you are so serious about security, why did you Americans release prisoners from Abu Ghraib?”, “Here the words (Abu Ghraib) meant American weakness and lack of resolve, not human rights violations.”
Fairness of the liberal (in Europe it means Socialist) media, you say?: “Army Sgt. 1st class Paul Ray Smith of Tampa, Florida … awarded posthumously … the first Medal of honor in the Global War on Terrorism had drawn only 90 media mentions. By comparison, there had been 4,677 media mentions of the supposed Koran abuse at Guantánamo Bay”, etc.
And much, much more. A juicy analysis all through. And Kagan can write. He can't write a boring page. And everything calmly, never getting our of tone. Pure journalism is letting the facts and the people do the talk and just bring the picture into scope, not out of scope.
April 16, 2010
This is an excellent insight into the life of an American military member executing his/ her duties in an operational theater. Dr. Kaplan weaves the individual experiences into the historical and political context of the mission resulting in enlightening an entertaining descriptions of our military at work. Of particular interest to me were the activities where our folks are quietly successful, outside of the limelight, implementing U.S. foreign policy while creating stability and furthering prosperity around the globe.
December 9, 2015
I didn't read "Imperial Grunts", but after thoroughly enjoying this second of Mr. Kaplan's trilogy, I may. HIs writing style is easy and flowing, and he
keeps you on the edge of your seat. Current through 2006, the author gives the reader an idea of what modern combat is like, in the air, on and below the sea, and on the ground. Though I'm a veteran, I'm also damned glad that I wasn't embedded with him as he was collecting the data for this book! Gritty. Page turner. Definately recommended.
keeps you on the edge of your seat. Current through 2006, the author gives the reader an idea of what modern combat is like, in the air, on and below the sea, and on the ground. Though I'm a veteran, I'm also damned glad that I wasn't embedded with him as he was collecting the data for this book! Gritty. Page turner. Definately recommended.
April 30, 2016
Old reviews went missing. How does save not working?
I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed it.
February 8, 2008
There's more to this book than meets the eye. It starts off innocently (and perhaps a little boringly) as a picaresque recounting of the author's many and continuous embeddings with various of our armed services installations around the world. He discusses the functions of these installations in some depth; his travels involve visits with each of the armed services (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force), including combat environments, training of other countries' militaries, humanitarian aid, and just plain watchfulness. He features detailed profiles of various individuals at all levels in the chain of command. Just before you are ready to quit on these stories, though, his real point begins to come through: we have an extraordinarily well-trained, technologically savvy, dedicated, competent, idealistic and diverse military capability serving this country -- and the vast majority of these forces, and what they are doing, we know next to nothing about.
One quote: " As I had been seeing on several continents for four years, the overwhelming majority of our deployments are generally not bellicose, not utopian, not a distortion of our values and, to the contrary, are the epitome of halfmeasures: full of compromises with the host nation, as well as recognition on a daily basis of our own limitations. The host nations in question have been overwhelmingly democratic, and have evolved as such over the years, rather than have us impose systems upon them. In many, (if not most) cases, these nations have specifically requested our assistance. Imperfect and pathetic though they might often be, not to assist such democracies would be irresponsible, given our resources and historic responsibilities as a great power."
If you don't feel like wading through the whole book, at least get it out of the Library and read the seventeen page Afterword entitled The Non-Warrior Democracy. Definitely worthwhile.
One quote: " As I had been seeing on several continents for four years, the overwhelming majority of our deployments are generally not bellicose, not utopian, not a distortion of our values and, to the contrary, are the epitome of halfmeasures: full of compromises with the host nation, as well as recognition on a daily basis of our own limitations. The host nations in question have been overwhelmingly democratic, and have evolved as such over the years, rather than have us impose systems upon them. In many, (if not most) cases, these nations have specifically requested our assistance. Imperfect and pathetic though they might often be, not to assist such democracies would be irresponsible, given our resources and historic responsibilities as a great power."
If you don't feel like wading through the whole book, at least get it out of the Library and read the seventeen page Afterword entitled The Non-Warrior Democracy. Definitely worthwhile.
March 29, 2008
This is the sequel to Imperial Grunts and rounds out the tour of the cutting edges of the American military begun in that earlier book. Kaplan researches his work exhaustively both in the writings of others and in person, and he seems to have logged enough travel to take him around the world a dozen times in the several-year course of writing these two books.
I appreciated the fact that he avoided oversimplifying or showing unbalanced views of the many issues. Kaplan makes no bones about the fact that at the moment, the US is an imperial power. He sees both the dangers in that and the potential to use that power to benefit the rest of the world. In his travels with the men and women who patrol the edges of that empire his respect and affection for them comes through clearly, without the unquestioning, myopic, jingoism of a Tom Clancy. He is bluntly critical about the blunders of Bush and Rumsfeld in Iraq, as he is of commanders who failed in earlier wars like Westmoreland in Vietnam, even as he spotlights the expertise, dedication, and sacrifices of the troops carrying out the missions decided upon far away by men in suits rather than uniforms.
I also appreciated Kaplan's comprehensive consideration of the sociological and geopolitical implications of today's trends and situations, including his speculation about what the world will look like after the American empire fades from primacy like every superpower before it has.
All in all, an excellent read, dense and informative while managing to flow well, useful in light of current events.
I appreciated the fact that he avoided oversimplifying or showing unbalanced views of the many issues. Kaplan makes no bones about the fact that at the moment, the US is an imperial power. He sees both the dangers in that and the potential to use that power to benefit the rest of the world. In his travels with the men and women who patrol the edges of that empire his respect and affection for them comes through clearly, without the unquestioning, myopic, jingoism of a Tom Clancy. He is bluntly critical about the blunders of Bush and Rumsfeld in Iraq, as he is of commanders who failed in earlier wars like Westmoreland in Vietnam, even as he spotlights the expertise, dedication, and sacrifices of the troops carrying out the missions decided upon far away by men in suits rather than uniforms.
I also appreciated Kaplan's comprehensive consideration of the sociological and geopolitical implications of today's trends and situations, including his speculation about what the world will look like after the American empire fades from primacy like every superpower before it has.
All in all, an excellent read, dense and informative while managing to flow well, useful in light of current events.
August 17, 2017
An exceptional book and first hand raw account of the warriors who are doing the work laced with the geo-political context enveloping that work. No domain is off limits for Kaplan as he relates tales from the foxhole, submarine or cockpit of a B-2 bomber. Easy read with lots of funny stories with an ability to deconstruct common military jargon for the uninitiated civilian audience. I laughed aloud in numerous places as Kaplan gets this work right!
August 19, 2017
Good book, even if it's somewhat dated. Kaplan reported on embeds with various American military units, 2004 thru 2006. He's a fine writer, and sympathetic to the warrior culture. As he writes, "America has a first-class, professional military that is respected, even as it is not reflective of society." The richness and density of his reporting is remarkable. Recommended to military, ex-military and those interested in the topic.
August 30, 2024
An okay book, but at the moment of reading some of its contents was outdated. On the other hand, considering the current situation with China claiming more and more waters, the book already predicted what might be happening in the future at the time of writing.
Following US troops on land, at and under the seas, and in the air, the chapters feel like reading a magazine more than a book to me.
Following US troops on land, at and under the seas, and in the air, the chapters feel like reading a magazine more than a book to me.
January 15, 2013
If it is possible to romanticize the United States military, this book does it. Robert D. Kaplan, in the crash journalism style of writing I enjoy, embeds himself with various crews of the four military divisions. He spends time on rifle ranges with the U.S. Marines, experiencing the organized chaos of underway refuelings aboard the USS Benfold, fighting claustrophobia on a nuclear submarine, and base-hopping with the A-10 Warthog pilots of the Air Force.
I expected this book to be a sort of travel narrative that revealed the realities of war, but instead this book explores the intricacies of enlisted life. If anything, this book is a good insight into military culture, complete with hierarchy, terminology, soldier opinions, motives and experiences. This book would be a good pick for any military afficionado, but seems spiked with an overly patriotic "Support Our Troops" bias. I'm looking forward to trying a few other books along this military narrative line that hopefully won't pull as many punches as Kaplan's "Hog Pilots" does.
I expected this book to be a sort of travel narrative that revealed the realities of war, but instead this book explores the intricacies of enlisted life. If anything, this book is a good insight into military culture, complete with hierarchy, terminology, soldier opinions, motives and experiences. This book would be a good pick for any military afficionado, but seems spiked with an overly patriotic "Support Our Troops" bias. I'm looking forward to trying a few other books along this military narrative line that hopefully won't pull as many punches as Kaplan's "Hog Pilots" does.
March 6, 2014
the military embed travelogue singing the praises of the middle class and the individual soldiers is OK, but the afterward is excellent - definitely a five star review of where the military is today and where it is heading in the future (the empire will fall, China and perhaps India will advance).
it's almost as the author is traveling through the most remote outposts of the empire as he sees the entire mechanism is near an end, and he wants to, in the most friendly and flattering light, document the contribution these folks have made, as the end date for these posts will be coming soon.
it's almost as the author is traveling through the most remote outposts of the empire as he sees the entire mechanism is near an end, and he wants to, in the most friendly and flattering light, document the contribution these folks have made, as the end date for these posts will be coming soon.
August 5, 2011
Three stars is a provisional rating; I have to think about this book a bit more, then hopefully not be too lazy to write a review...
July 15, 2016
I enjoyed reading this book. I thought it was well-written, and did a great job showing how the 'global war on terror' truly is global in nature. The media focuses exclusively on Iraq and Afghanistan, ignoring what the United States is doing in other parts of the world. It held my interest throughout the entire book, and I had a hard time putting it down. It covers a two-to-three year period where the author is embedded in various military units in the Middle East, the Pacific, Africa, Asia, and parts of South and Central America.
It does a nice job of revealing the inner thoughts on various military personnel with whom he interacted over the course of his traveling. There was a lot of humor in the book intermixed with serious subjects. I thought I had a pretty good idea about how the military worked, just from friends, family, and books I have read, but I felt this showed a side I had never seen or known about before. [I know, I know - it was pretty arrogant of me to think I had any kind of idea how the military worked; I won't make that mistake again any time soon.] I thought it had some amazing quotes scattered throughout the book; again, some were serious and some were funny. I enjoyed learning how the soldiers and sailors and airmen thought, though, over the course of the book. He might repeat various stories or quotes from different personnel, but he does so with an intent, a specific purpose in mind [to reiterate what was said, because he felt it was important].
A couple quotes [stories] that stood out to me:
I will fortify the moral high ground. People will attack me with stories about Abu Ghraib and the killing of Filipino civilians a hundred years ago by American troops, actions which I cannot defend. And I will respond that my troops can build a school, or fix a little girl's cleft palate at a MEDCAP [medical civil action program], whereas all the guerrillas of Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah can offer is a suicide vest. I will build my fortress on deeds, because I know that the only force protection I have is the goodwill of citizens. All the guns in the world won't keep an IED from going off. Army Col. Jim Linder of Fort Lawn, South Carolina.
I could have a well-paying job with a company like Dupont, and be home every night. But life is supposed to have meaning. Whenever I'm ready to collapse on the bridge at 3 a.m., I think of the chief's [chief petty officers'] retirement ceremony and the clanging bell that declares, "While others slept, you stood the watch." Navy Ensign Zephyr Riendeau of Colebrook, New Hampshire.
Take Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith of Tampa, Florida, thirty-three, married with two children. He had advanced alone under withering enemy fire near Baghdad airport on April 4, 2003, so that he could man a .50-caliber machine gun atop an armored vehicle and protect his wounded comrades from being overrun. Killed in the process, he was awarded posthumously the nation's highest, rarely bestowed decoration, the Medal of Honor, with his wife receiving the award. This first Medal of Honor in the Global War on Terrorism had drawn only 90 media attentions, though. By comparison, there had been 4,677 media mentions of the supposed Koran abuse at Guantanamo Bay, and 5,159 of the court-martialed Abu Ghraib guard Lynndie England.
It also talked about how [some of] the Iraqis saw Abu Ghraib: If you are so serious about security, why did you Americans release prisoners from Abu Ghraib?...Here the words (Abu Ghraib) meant American weakness and lack of resolve, not human rights violations.
The book is laced with humor, as found in the following:
A soldier quoted as saying, "I married a liberal, but I'm going to take her back to North Carolina, teach her how to shoot, and make a good Republican out of her.” This was followed by “There were nods of approval throughout the tent.”
Or, another soldier talking about 'heaven': “I know where heaven is and it's Lithuania...The women are beautiful, pagan, with a practical view towards sex. Who says communism was bad? You're working three levels of advantages: you're a foreign male, you're a rich, exotic American, and their men are a bunch of drunken, criminal slobs.”
I thought it was an enlightening book. The author covers a lot of material, a lot of locations, a lot of good work being done by the US Military around the world. It opened my eyes to what the United States is doing around the world; I had no idea. It was fantastic to read about how the US Military was involved in so many humanitarian missions, in working with other military forces of Third World nations, to build interpersonal relationships with people in other countries. Yes, the missions are two-fold: [1] to help improve the military forces of the host country, and [2] to improve the relationship between the United States and the host country in hopes of working together more in the future and being able to utilize said country for potential future operations. But building relationships with other nations is key and lays the groundwork for future troop movements and operations to take place.
I thought the author made many salient points over the course of the book, especially how the United States needs to develop and continue developing relationships with other countries globally if the United States wishes to remain a global power. Russia and China would be more than happy to displace the United States in terms of international influence. As former allies reject or push aside the United States, the United States is going to be forced to look elsewhere for allies in order to have potential weapons depots and ammo dumps and places for personnel and material to be kept for use at a later time.
I thought the author also made an excellent point that just because a country may or may not turn into a democracy does not mean that that country will remain friendly with the United States. Even if China and/or Russia were to fully embrace capitalism and renounce communism, that does not mean they would cease to be rivals of/with the United States. They would still have their own agendas, their own plans, their own desire for international prominence. They could [would] still be opponents of the United States, seeking to supplant the United States in the eyes of the World. So that is something else the United States needs to consider.
The author also does an excellent job at discussing the need to plan for the 'long term' and not to be so focused on 'immediate results.' Expecting 'immediate results' will only lead to shortsightedness and disappointment, which will lead to bad choices being made by shortsighted civilian leaders. America needs to learn how to look at the 'long ball,' at 'long-term goals' that may take a few Presidencies to come to fruition, so that the United States will be better equipped to continue to survive and even lead in the coming days ahead.
I could go on, but I think I will end it here. It was an excellent book. There is a lot of information in it, and the author presents a strong case for his concerns as well as his thoughts on how the military needs to grow and develop for future conflicts. I could see myself reading this book again, it is so good. I shall have to look for the author's first book so that I can read that one as well.
As much as I enjoyed this book, over all, I think the thing I liked most about it was that it portrayed the United States military in both a realistic light and a positive light. I am already proud of the men and women in the US military and am in awe of what they have sacrificed for this nation, but this book makes me even prouder of what they have accomplished. I do not know how to adequately describe it, but it stirred something inside of me as I read what the author shared. It truly made me proud to be an American, what with these various men and women representing the Nation as they do, overseas. Corny it may be, but that's how I felt. It is a good book.
It does a nice job of revealing the inner thoughts on various military personnel with whom he interacted over the course of his traveling. There was a lot of humor in the book intermixed with serious subjects. I thought I had a pretty good idea about how the military worked, just from friends, family, and books I have read, but I felt this showed a side I had never seen or known about before. [I know, I know - it was pretty arrogant of me to think I had any kind of idea how the military worked; I won't make that mistake again any time soon.] I thought it had some amazing quotes scattered throughout the book; again, some were serious and some were funny. I enjoyed learning how the soldiers and sailors and airmen thought, though, over the course of the book. He might repeat various stories or quotes from different personnel, but he does so with an intent, a specific purpose in mind [to reiterate what was said, because he felt it was important].
A couple quotes [stories] that stood out to me:
I will fortify the moral high ground. People will attack me with stories about Abu Ghraib and the killing of Filipino civilians a hundred years ago by American troops, actions which I cannot defend. And I will respond that my troops can build a school, or fix a little girl's cleft palate at a MEDCAP [medical civil action program], whereas all the guerrillas of Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah can offer is a suicide vest. I will build my fortress on deeds, because I know that the only force protection I have is the goodwill of citizens. All the guns in the world won't keep an IED from going off. Army Col. Jim Linder of Fort Lawn, South Carolina.
I could have a well-paying job with a company like Dupont, and be home every night. But life is supposed to have meaning. Whenever I'm ready to collapse on the bridge at 3 a.m., I think of the chief's [chief petty officers'] retirement ceremony and the clanging bell that declares, "While others slept, you stood the watch." Navy Ensign Zephyr Riendeau of Colebrook, New Hampshire.
Take Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith of Tampa, Florida, thirty-three, married with two children. He had advanced alone under withering enemy fire near Baghdad airport on April 4, 2003, so that he could man a .50-caliber machine gun atop an armored vehicle and protect his wounded comrades from being overrun. Killed in the process, he was awarded posthumously the nation's highest, rarely bestowed decoration, the Medal of Honor, with his wife receiving the award. This first Medal of Honor in the Global War on Terrorism had drawn only 90 media attentions, though. By comparison, there had been 4,677 media mentions of the supposed Koran abuse at Guantanamo Bay, and 5,159 of the court-martialed Abu Ghraib guard Lynndie England.
It also talked about how [some of] the Iraqis saw Abu Ghraib: If you are so serious about security, why did you Americans release prisoners from Abu Ghraib?...Here the words (Abu Ghraib) meant American weakness and lack of resolve, not human rights violations.
The book is laced with humor, as found in the following:
A soldier quoted as saying, "I married a liberal, but I'm going to take her back to North Carolina, teach her how to shoot, and make a good Republican out of her.” This was followed by “There were nods of approval throughout the tent.”
Or, another soldier talking about 'heaven': “I know where heaven is and it's Lithuania...The women are beautiful, pagan, with a practical view towards sex. Who says communism was bad? You're working three levels of advantages: you're a foreign male, you're a rich, exotic American, and their men are a bunch of drunken, criminal slobs.”
I thought it was an enlightening book. The author covers a lot of material, a lot of locations, a lot of good work being done by the US Military around the world. It opened my eyes to what the United States is doing around the world; I had no idea. It was fantastic to read about how the US Military was involved in so many humanitarian missions, in working with other military forces of Third World nations, to build interpersonal relationships with people in other countries. Yes, the missions are two-fold: [1] to help improve the military forces of the host country, and [2] to improve the relationship between the United States and the host country in hopes of working together more in the future and being able to utilize said country for potential future operations. But building relationships with other nations is key and lays the groundwork for future troop movements and operations to take place.
I thought the author made many salient points over the course of the book, especially how the United States needs to develop and continue developing relationships with other countries globally if the United States wishes to remain a global power. Russia and China would be more than happy to displace the United States in terms of international influence. As former allies reject or push aside the United States, the United States is going to be forced to look elsewhere for allies in order to have potential weapons depots and ammo dumps and places for personnel and material to be kept for use at a later time.
I thought the author also made an excellent point that just because a country may or may not turn into a democracy does not mean that that country will remain friendly with the United States. Even if China and/or Russia were to fully embrace capitalism and renounce communism, that does not mean they would cease to be rivals of/with the United States. They would still have their own agendas, their own plans, their own desire for international prominence. They could [would] still be opponents of the United States, seeking to supplant the United States in the eyes of the World. So that is something else the United States needs to consider.
The author also does an excellent job at discussing the need to plan for the 'long term' and not to be so focused on 'immediate results.' Expecting 'immediate results' will only lead to shortsightedness and disappointment, which will lead to bad choices being made by shortsighted civilian leaders. America needs to learn how to look at the 'long ball,' at 'long-term goals' that may take a few Presidencies to come to fruition, so that the United States will be better equipped to continue to survive and even lead in the coming days ahead.
I could go on, but I think I will end it here. It was an excellent book. There is a lot of information in it, and the author presents a strong case for his concerns as well as his thoughts on how the military needs to grow and develop for future conflicts. I could see myself reading this book again, it is so good. I shall have to look for the author's first book so that I can read that one as well.
As much as I enjoyed this book, over all, I think the thing I liked most about it was that it portrayed the United States military in both a realistic light and a positive light. I am already proud of the men and women in the US military and am in awe of what they have sacrificed for this nation, but this book makes me even prouder of what they have accomplished. I do not know how to adequately describe it, but it stirred something inside of me as I read what the author shared. It truly made me proud to be an American, what with these various men and women representing the Nation as they do, overseas. Corny it may be, but that's how I felt. It is a good book.
August 15, 2021
"Faith, which is about struggle and having confidence precisely when the odds are the worst, is receding among a social and economic class that is increasingly motivated by universal values--Universal values are not the opposite of faith, but they should never be confused with it. You may care - to the point of tears - about suffering humankind without having the will to actually fight (let alone inconvenience yourself) for your concerns."
"The loss of a warrior mentality and the rise of universal values is a feature of all stable, Western-style middle-class democracies....there is little urge among our elites to volunteer, and thus our military takes on more of a regional caste. The British army may have been drawn from the dregs of society, but it was officered by the country's political class. Not so ours, which has little to do with the business of soldiering, and is socially disconnected from what guards us in our sleep. Nine Princeton graduates in the class of 2006 entered the military, compared to four hundred in 1956 - when there was no draft."
"At a 2006 Stanford commencement ceremony, a Marine general - whose son was the lone graduating student from a military family - said he was struck by how many of the other parents had never even met a member of the military before he introduced himself."
"Commonly, liberal democratic societies have been defended by conservative military establishments, whose members may lack the sensitivities and social graces of the cosmopolitan classes whom they protect. Such a traditional American military, very much rooted in the old nation-state, now has a thankless task.....it helps provide the security armature for an emerging global civilization that, the more that civilization evolves...the less credit and sympathy it grants to the American troops who at times risk their lives for it." — Robert D. Kaplan, Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts
A necessary, critical dive into the worlds of political realism, on-the-ground tactical planning, and international relationships — the sort of which should be read as a requirement in all freshman collegiate classes — but is more likely to be found on the dusty corner of a used-book store shelf, waiting for its historical insights and geopolitical wisdom to be re-opened. I hope someday to meet Robert Kaplan. He's studied more history than many historians, spent more time overseas than many of the very troops he's embedded with, and writes with a beauty that - I suspect - comes from his clear, deep love of the classics. He remains my favorite writer, constantly engaging, challenging, and refining my own thinking in the space of international relations. Sincerely recommend.
"The loss of a warrior mentality and the rise of universal values is a feature of all stable, Western-style middle-class democracies....there is little urge among our elites to volunteer, and thus our military takes on more of a regional caste. The British army may have been drawn from the dregs of society, but it was officered by the country's political class. Not so ours, which has little to do with the business of soldiering, and is socially disconnected from what guards us in our sleep. Nine Princeton graduates in the class of 2006 entered the military, compared to four hundred in 1956 - when there was no draft."
"At a 2006 Stanford commencement ceremony, a Marine general - whose son was the lone graduating student from a military family - said he was struck by how many of the other parents had never even met a member of the military before he introduced himself."
"Commonly, liberal democratic societies have been defended by conservative military establishments, whose members may lack the sensitivities and social graces of the cosmopolitan classes whom they protect. Such a traditional American military, very much rooted in the old nation-state, now has a thankless task.....it helps provide the security armature for an emerging global civilization that, the more that civilization evolves...the less credit and sympathy it grants to the American troops who at times risk their lives for it." — Robert D. Kaplan, Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts
A necessary, critical dive into the worlds of political realism, on-the-ground tactical planning, and international relationships — the sort of which should be read as a requirement in all freshman collegiate classes — but is more likely to be found on the dusty corner of a used-book store shelf, waiting for its historical insights and geopolitical wisdom to be re-opened. I hope someday to meet Robert Kaplan. He's studied more history than many historians, spent more time overseas than many of the very troops he's embedded with, and writes with a beauty that - I suspect - comes from his clear, deep love of the classics. He remains my favorite writer, constantly engaging, challenging, and refining my own thinking in the space of international relations. Sincerely recommend.
May 2, 2020
Kaplan's Hog Pilots is a sequel of sorts to his book "Imperial Grunts" where he embeds with multiple Air Force, Navy, and SF units during the halcyon days of the Global War on Terror. While Imperial Grunts focused more on the Army and Marines, Hog Pilots focuses, predictably enough on the Air Force and Navy.
Kaplan's best work is as an observer rather than a predictor of events. At one point he specifically notes that he wasn't there to argue with a given Sailor or Airman, but simply to listen to them. This is the books' great strength as Kaplan gives a compelling view into the individuals that make up bomber squadrons, UAV pilots, nuclear submarine crews, , and A-10 Warthog pilots.
Like any Kaplan book, it's also a travelogue of sorts, going from Korea to Las Vegas to Mali and nearly everywhere in between. A thoroughly interesting section is where Kaplan embeds with the Royal Nepalese Army for a bit giving an insight into how US Forces are helping to train foreign forces operating on the edge of anarchy.
A constant theme in this work is the value of the non-commissioned officer corps in the U.S. Military and how it contrasts with the varied foreign armies that we fight with and against. Kaplan consistently reminds the reader that the American NCO Corps is unique in its far more democratic and non-elitist or regimented approach to leadership.
Whereas in other armies (especially those with a amore authoritarian bent), NCOs tend to be far more timid and thereby requiring officers to make far more decisions, which, coupled with a risk averse mentality (common in authoritarian regimes), you get armies that are inefficient and less than accomplished. It's a recurring subtheme of the book and a welcome one.
Kaplan's best work is as an observer rather than a predictor of events. At one point he specifically notes that he wasn't there to argue with a given Sailor or Airman, but simply to listen to them. This is the books' great strength as Kaplan gives a compelling view into the individuals that make up bomber squadrons, UAV pilots, nuclear submarine crews, , and A-10 Warthog pilots.
Like any Kaplan book, it's also a travelogue of sorts, going from Korea to Las Vegas to Mali and nearly everywhere in between. A thoroughly interesting section is where Kaplan embeds with the Royal Nepalese Army for a bit giving an insight into how US Forces are helping to train foreign forces operating on the edge of anarchy.
A constant theme in this work is the value of the non-commissioned officer corps in the U.S. Military and how it contrasts with the varied foreign armies that we fight with and against. Kaplan consistently reminds the reader that the American NCO Corps is unique in its far more democratic and non-elitist or regimented approach to leadership.
Whereas in other armies (especially those with a amore authoritarian bent), NCOs tend to be far more timid and thereby requiring officers to make far more decisions, which, coupled with a risk averse mentality (common in authoritarian regimes), you get armies that are inefficient and less than accomplished. It's a recurring subtheme of the book and a welcome one.
July 29, 2022
Kaplan reports in the tradition of World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle – informal “worms-eye-view” conversations with mostly those of non-commissioned ranks. He's with a platoon-sized Marine training team in Niger among lizards, frogs and whining mosquitoes; aboard the USS Benfold, a guided missile destroyer, with “just a few inches to sleep on my side without my hip hitting the rack above me” and amid intense togetherness borne of below-the-sea proximity aboard the SSBN Houston, a nuclear-powered submarine. Shorter embeds are with American training teams in Nepal, Algeria, Iraq and Thailand. With the Air Force he was allowed to take control of a billion-dollar B-2 for 10 minutes. He offers some conclusions: “Throughout my odyssey with the American military, I had always been impressed by the authority wielded by the enlisted ranks, a testimony to the country's mass democracy.” [p110] “The non-commissioned ranks are the heart and soul of the Marine Corps.” [p19] U.S. military bases outside U.S. Territory are risky. [p87]. I admire his adventurous soul, his meticulous reporting and engaging writing style.
March 8, 2018
This is a really good book about the American military and the people who carry out a variety of missions in the service of their country. Kaplan is on globe trotting the globe and getting embedded with a variety of Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force units. His profiles of soldiers bring into focus the diversity and culture of each branch of the military. Kaplan also provides an analysis of what America's mission is in different parts of the globe. It really brings into focus the role of the US in trying to promote security in many far flung countries.
I was about 3/4 of the way through the book when we had a special forces operator due in Africa. It was through this book that I realized that soldier was in one of the same countries Kaplan had visited back in 2003 or 2004.
It's a really good informative book that will keep you engaged.
I was about 3/4 of the way through the book when we had a special forces operator due in Africa. It was through this book that I realized that soldier was in one of the same countries Kaplan had visited back in 2003 or 2004.
It's a really good informative book that will keep you engaged.
October 9, 2018
An engrossing and informative book about the US role and policies for the US military in an increasingly complex and dangerous world. Kaplan gained behind the scenes access to personnel and strategy by embedding with units in all four major US military branches during various deployments over a period of years between 2002-2006.
Published in 2007 the book is thus dated. Yet I still found value in these snapshots in time. Kaplan's nice mix of historical perspective and boots-on-the-ground vignettes sparkles. The section about the Korean peninsula danger potentialities and clash of interests is a must-read.
Some conclusions that left me wishing for deeper analysis. But overall this was an enjoyable and though-provoking read. Highly recommended.
Published in 2007 the book is thus dated. Yet I still found value in these snapshots in time. Kaplan's nice mix of historical perspective and boots-on-the-ground vignettes sparkles. The section about the Korean peninsula danger potentialities and clash of interests is a must-read.
Some conclusions that left me wishing for deeper analysis. But overall this was an enjoyable and though-provoking read. Highly recommended.
October 8, 2024
The US Department Defense gave Robert D Kaplan, carte blanche to embed and travel with airmen, soldiers, and sailors all around the world in 2005 to 2006. He paints a picture of their backgrounds and motivations
He flew with B2 pilots. He traveled across the Pacific from Hawaii to Guam on an attack submarine and was embedded with Marines in the second battle of Falluja.
Kaplan makes the book come alive with his historical and litterary references.
Although Twenty years old the book is still relevant. With my current reading of the low state of American military preparedness in the Wall Street Journal I felt encouraged by this book. The people and the culture of the US military has not changed since this book was written. It is exceptional.
He flew with B2 pilots. He traveled across the Pacific from Hawaii to Guam on an attack submarine and was embedded with Marines in the second battle of Falluja.
Kaplan makes the book come alive with his historical and litterary references.
Although Twenty years old the book is still relevant. With my current reading of the low state of American military preparedness in the Wall Street Journal I felt encouraged by this book. The people and the culture of the US military has not changed since this book was written. It is exceptional.
July 17, 2017
Revealing in-depth embedded-reporter-type survey of US military operations and personnel around the globe. Published 7 years ago, many foreign situations discussed already are dated, but the they are not the point of this good book. Author is informative on history and local politics and he presents his philosophy on the need for our involvement in so many places.
November 18, 2019
Makes me think I may have to go back and take in his "Imperial Grunts." Kaplan paints a lucid portrait of America's military, pretty much around the world, carrying out our latest moves as empire by way of the global war on terror. I wonder if history will be so kind.
August 7, 2019
Like most books of short stories some are 5 some are 2's overall this one is probably 3.5 or 3 overall.
Lost a lot on readability, and repetision, not so much on Content which is outstanding.
Lost a lot on readability, and repetision, not so much on Content which is outstanding.
May 11, 2020
Audiobook.
December 31, 2022
I wish there were more of these. This is the sweet spot of middlebrow journalism about geopolitics, how the military is changing, etc.
November 8, 2025
Very interesting. I'm interested to know how things have changed in the past 20 years, especially with USAID.
December 26, 2025
Un libro que hay que leer si te interesa la logística y la geaopolica.
June 7, 2013
Kaplan presents an interesting and thoughtful perspective on the US military in the 21st century. He embedded with a number of units in the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force over a several year period. His approach is to show how the diverse missions of these units fit within an evolving US global strategy in the post cold war and post 9/11 time. There are two overarching themes of his analysis: positioning the nation to deal with the rising power of China in the Pacific rim and the world and how the military can be used to develop the capacities and cooperation of emerging democracies throughout the third world.
Regarding China, Kaplan shows that our relations with Pacific rim countries like Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and Nepal have evolved far away from the "big base" large magnitude show of force strategy of the post WWII era. Small units are engaging with joint operations and training programs with these nations aimed in part at cementing their affiliations with the US. This approach is mirrored in other countries like Algeria, Niger, Mali and Georgia.
Another key feature of this new approach is how humanitarian efforts of the military can bring the American presence in positive ways on small (e.g. villages in Algeria) or large (e.g. tsunami relief) scales.
Two other aspects of the military's engagement are notable. The logistics that support the military have changed in scale and approach. Rather than a large footprint for positioning ourselves in countries, we are relying on low key arrangements, often secured and run by civilian "embeds" who know the customs and language of the countries of interest. The second feature highlighted by Kaplan is the depth of competence shown by today's military, particulary the junior officers and NCO's. This beneficial result of the volunteer professional military deserves the attention Kaplan gives it.
On Iraq (his travels cover 2004-2006) there's only one chapter. Kaplan describes the nation-building efforts of Army units around Mosul. Here again, the civil affairs work of the units are admired, although Kaplan is critical of the mistakes of policy makers in wrong-headed decisions and failure to provide sufficient resources for the civil activities of units at the ground level.
There is some deep analysis of the Koreas, the last vestige of the cold war. Kaplan poses some interesting ideas about the interests of the region's countries (China and Japan mainly) in the bellicosity of North Korea and the possible outcomes of events in or by North Korea.
Although now a few years old, this book presents a very different perspective on military strategy than is seen in superficial media coverage. It is pro-military but not in the sentimental ethos of popular media, but rather in the sense of how very competent and committed professionals are working in smart ways to help secure our nation's interests.
Regarding China, Kaplan shows that our relations with Pacific rim countries like Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and Nepal have evolved far away from the "big base" large magnitude show of force strategy of the post WWII era. Small units are engaging with joint operations and training programs with these nations aimed in part at cementing their affiliations with the US. This approach is mirrored in other countries like Algeria, Niger, Mali and Georgia.
Another key feature of this new approach is how humanitarian efforts of the military can bring the American presence in positive ways on small (e.g. villages in Algeria) or large (e.g. tsunami relief) scales.
Two other aspects of the military's engagement are notable. The logistics that support the military have changed in scale and approach. Rather than a large footprint for positioning ourselves in countries, we are relying on low key arrangements, often secured and run by civilian "embeds" who know the customs and language of the countries of interest. The second feature highlighted by Kaplan is the depth of competence shown by today's military, particulary the junior officers and NCO's. This beneficial result of the volunteer professional military deserves the attention Kaplan gives it.
On Iraq (his travels cover 2004-2006) there's only one chapter. Kaplan describes the nation-building efforts of Army units around Mosul. Here again, the civil affairs work of the units are admired, although Kaplan is critical of the mistakes of policy makers in wrong-headed decisions and failure to provide sufficient resources for the civil activities of units at the ground level.
There is some deep analysis of the Koreas, the last vestige of the cold war. Kaplan poses some interesting ideas about the interests of the region's countries (China and Japan mainly) in the bellicosity of North Korea and the possible outcomes of events in or by North Korea.
Although now a few years old, this book presents a very different perspective on military strategy than is seen in superficial media coverage. It is pro-military but not in the sentimental ethos of popular media, but rather in the sense of how very competent and committed professionals are working in smart ways to help secure our nation's interests.
September 24, 2008
Excellent overview of modern military strategy.
Not so good as biography of modern American soldiers.
The author does an excellent job of demonstrating the nature/need of modern US defense policy. From the need to utilize SF forces to help maintain the capbilities of weakened states (Niger, Chad, states in Polynesia); to the increased need of the Navy (subs for intel collections in litoral regions, ability to project power); to the need of being able to forward deploy to allied states, rather than rely on permanent bases (ie the Philipines); his description of the North Korean regime is especially interesting. Also, his analysis of the "Cost of Empire" ie the cost of countering Al Qaida v. the minimal cost of attack (9/11 was financed for an estimated 250K) and the cost of forward deploying national assests (B-2 bombers) and the need to utilize local assets and the need for soft power (ie China) is instructive.
The book loses something when he attempts to describe the "warrior culture". The problem is that he describes so many different units (a Stryker brigade in Alaska, a destroyer crew, a Marine unit) that attempts to draw commen traits among the different service men and women often appears forced or often overly broad. A related problem is that the author wants the book to be about the troops, but there are so many troops that we never really get to know them as individuals. Books such as Generation Kill, where the author spent time with one unit and the reader really gets a feeling of the individuals, here all of the troops blur together.
The conclusion of the book raises interesting points about America's warrior class and how increasingly there is a separation between those who fight America's wars and the rest of the population. However, the author touches on briefly something that could easily be an entire book (and a long one at that!) he does not delve further and the rest of the book does not really support his conclusion. This is a problem with the book in that the author frequently raises significant, controversial issues and diminishes them, for example he describes a retired sgt. who now lives in Thailand and is a contractor for the Army (acting as a liason) with the local Thai government--the author describes how effective this individual is and then in the next sentance points to this as a sign that the privatization of the military may not be such a bad thing--one person can be compared to KBR??
Not so good as biography of modern American soldiers.
The author does an excellent job of demonstrating the nature/need of modern US defense policy. From the need to utilize SF forces to help maintain the capbilities of weakened states (Niger, Chad, states in Polynesia); to the increased need of the Navy (subs for intel collections in litoral regions, ability to project power); to the need of being able to forward deploy to allied states, rather than rely on permanent bases (ie the Philipines); his description of the North Korean regime is especially interesting. Also, his analysis of the "Cost of Empire" ie the cost of countering Al Qaida v. the minimal cost of attack (9/11 was financed for an estimated 250K) and the cost of forward deploying national assests (B-2 bombers) and the need to utilize local assets and the need for soft power (ie China) is instructive.
The book loses something when he attempts to describe the "warrior culture". The problem is that he describes so many different units (a Stryker brigade in Alaska, a destroyer crew, a Marine unit) that attempts to draw commen traits among the different service men and women often appears forced or often overly broad. A related problem is that the author wants the book to be about the troops, but there are so many troops that we never really get to know them as individuals. Books such as Generation Kill, where the author spent time with one unit and the reader really gets a feeling of the individuals, here all of the troops blur together.
The conclusion of the book raises interesting points about America's warrior class and how increasingly there is a separation between those who fight America's wars and the rest of the population. However, the author touches on briefly something that could easily be an entire book (and a long one at that!) he does not delve further and the rest of the book does not really support his conclusion. This is a problem with the book in that the author frequently raises significant, controversial issues and diminishes them, for example he describes a retired sgt. who now lives in Thailand and is a contractor for the Army (acting as a liason) with the local Thai government--the author describes how effective this individual is and then in the next sentance points to this as a sign that the privatization of the military may not be such a bad thing--one person can be compared to KBR??
May 31, 2016
Journalist, military analyst, and geographer Robert Kaplan details his 2004 to 2006 embedments with American military forces in four regions: Africa, Asia, the Mideast, and the Pacific Ocean. His subject forces included Marine, Navy (surface and sub-surface), Air Force, and Army Special Forces units. Many of these units were engaged in multilateral training of, or with, host country troops. Other units were engaged in enhancing or maintaining the skills needed to operate the high technology platforms and systems that characterize the modern American military. Others were engaged in humanitarian assistance following the 2005 Indonesian earthquake and tsunami. In all these situations Kaplan brings to the fore the individual warriors he accompanied, noting their home life before the military, their character, and their views on the job they are tasked with. He frequently aggregates and relates these individual portraits to the broader strategic considerations facing America. This book is a sequel to his earlier "Imperial Grunts," a work to which he refers the reader on numerous occasions.
In his concluding chapter he considers the changing national social perspective. He notes that there is a more "universalist outlook" emerging in which the plight or the famine stricken abroad is given the same concern as hurricane victims at home. While noble, perhaps, Kaplan worries that "if accompanied by a loss of faith, universal values pose an existential threat to national security." The "faith" of which he speaks is not solely religious but, more broadly, "having confidence precisely when the odds are the worst."
The hardships Kaplan endured in his research, albeit with many rewarding moments, has been cast as a very detailed, realistic account of the American military. The reader is rewarded, as well, with the opportunity to better know those who protect and preserve democracy for those who do not serve in uniform. The reader is also challenged to think about the complex challenges facing our nation in the years ahead. As is usual with Kaplan, he again links his readers to other writers, ancient, historical and contemporary, whose words have great current relevance.
In his concluding chapter he considers the changing national social perspective. He notes that there is a more "universalist outlook" emerging in which the plight or the famine stricken abroad is given the same concern as hurricane victims at home. While noble, perhaps, Kaplan worries that "if accompanied by a loss of faith, universal values pose an existential threat to national security." The "faith" of which he speaks is not solely religious but, more broadly, "having confidence precisely when the odds are the worst."
The hardships Kaplan endured in his research, albeit with many rewarding moments, has been cast as a very detailed, realistic account of the American military. The reader is rewarded, as well, with the opportunity to better know those who protect and preserve democracy for those who do not serve in uniform. The reader is also challenged to think about the complex challenges facing our nation in the years ahead. As is usual with Kaplan, he again links his readers to other writers, ancient, historical and contemporary, whose words have great current relevance.
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