Book Reviews the .SU

Naval War College Review Volume 55 Article 13 Number 1 Winter 2002 Book Reviews The .SU . Naval War College Follow this and additional works at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review Recommended Citation War College, The .SU . Naval (2002) "Book Reviews," Naval War College Review: Vol. 55 : No. 1 , Article 13. Available at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol55/iss1/13 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Naval War College Review by an authorized editor of U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. War College: Book Reviews BOOK REVIEWS TIMING IS EVERYTHING Snow, Donald M., When America Fights: The Uses of U.S. Military Forces. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press, 2000. 221pp. $ 24.95 “Timing is everything,” so the saying conclusions that should awaken and dis- goes. Timing was certainly a factor in de- turb those in the national security veloping a fair and reasoned review for strategy establishment. He begins with a this book; it arrived in this reviewer’s broad diagnosis of a national security mailbox on 12 September 2001. Since the policy “adrift” in the first decade follow- major thesis of Donald Snow’s concise ing the end of the Cold War, explaining and cogent work is that peacekeeping will well why realist and neorealist paradigms be the most likely type of early of international relations and the use of twenty-first century military operation force no longer can explain or predict for the United States, the book initially real-world behaviors. Similarly, he intro- appeared quaint and somewhat nostalgic: duces the concept of a two-tiered world, how nice and simple it would be to deal with developed free market democracies with questions of how to bring and sus- in the first tier, and all others in the sec- tain peace to other lands. ond. It is with this second, heterogeneous However, when the inevitable strong feel- group of nations that Snow finds that the ings associated with the horrific attacks realist paradigm cannot explain or de- of 11 September dissipate somewhat, one scribe behaviors and relationships, which finds this book to be a valuable, if flawed, in that group are sometimes chaotic. addition to the professional national se- Snow uses this observation to develop in curity studies student’s library. There is the second chapter a theoretical con- no other single work available compara- struct by which the United States can ble in scope to this book in its thorough adapt its strategic “lens” to focus better investigation of the driving forces, neces- on security problems with second-tier sities, and demands of peace operations. nations, combining the still-relevant as- Snow, recognizing the ad hoc nature of pects of the realist legacy with idealist much, if not most, national security liter- paradigmatic tensions (between interna- ature, has attempted to develop an inte- tionalism and isolationism). Carefully grated approach, connecting theory to constructing his case, Snow then de- practice, and yielding findings and scribes the spectrum of conflict that he Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 2002 1 Naval War College Review, Vol. 55 [2002], No. 1, Art. 13 146 NAVAL WAR COLLEGE REVIEW believes the United States might experi- very old-fashioned academic, this ence. He finds that the most likely form reviewer appreciates the value and infor- of conflict will be Kosovo-like peace op- mation provided by footnotes; they are erations, and he explains why operations totally lacking in this work. True, there is addressing these conflicts are so difficult. a bibliography following each chapter, This section provides some of the most but that is an empty vessel for serious re- dramatic and compelling information search. Second, Ralph Peters, a most in- and analysis in the book, particularly sightful strategist of the current age who concerning his operational distinctions is quoted in the last chapter, is a retired between conflict suppression and state Army, not Air Force, officer. building (the latter being the most prob- When America Fights is an excellent book lematic for this country). When America on the use of armed force as applied to Fights concludes with a recommendation peace operations. It is a book with a of realistic internationalist national strat- point of view and a strong theoretical egy based on five major influences of base. Regardless of whether one agrees modern grand strategy, and it offers the with the author on the flow and form of reader fifteen guidelines on how to in- his argument, the reader will find the crease the probability of success in peace material engrossing and invaluable— operations. even though this nation is now engaged The book provides a consistent thread of in what Snow has viewed as the less likely argument and analysis on the use of scenario for force employment, that of American armed force. However, not- necessity. withstanding the author’s preface, When JONATHAN E. CZARNECKI America Fights is a highly opinionated Naval War College, Monterey Programs Office work. It does not comprehensively ana- lyze the implications of other possible points on the spectrum of conflict, nor does it pursue alternative or possible conflictual guidelines that might be gen- Carter, Ashton B., and John P. White, eds. Keeping erated by applying the theoretical frame- the Edge: Managing Defense for the Future. Cam- work to those other types of conflict. bridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2001. 326pp. $50 Further, the two-tier world concept sim- This book “addresses a need widely rec- ply is neither the only way nor the most ognized but long neglected: to adapt and widely accepted one of attempting to or- modernize the system by which the ganize the chaos of the post–Cold War United States manages the largest and international environment. Finally, the most successful security establishment in conclusion that there are two types of history.” Do not be misled into thinking armed force employments—of necessity that the word “managing” in the title (forced on the nation) or of choice (at suggests a dry treatment of managerial the nation’s discretion)—is most intrigu- practices requiring extensive change. ing (I have already adopted the lexicon in Keeping the Edge deals with that, but it my courses) but it is not the only primarily examines many key organiza- typology that one might consider. tional strategy issues; these studies will There are two admittedly minor but irri- have comprehensive value to anyone tating faults in the book. First, being a within academia or the national security https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol55/iss1/13 2 War College: Book Reviews BOOK REVIEWS 147 environment wishing to improve what Harvard University, and Stanford the authors regard as management and University. The list of contributors repre- organizational shortfalls that impede im- sents a who’s who in national security ex- plementation of wise strategy and policy perience and in the study of national choices. Collectively, the distinguished security processes: Ashton B. Carter, editors and authors contend that, if unat- David Chu, Victor A. DeMarines, John tended, these shortcomings will seriously Deutch, Robert J. Hermann, Arnold diminish our unmatched military capa- Kanter, Michael J. Lippitz, Judith A. bility. At the same time, they hold that Miller, Sean O’Keefe, William J. Perry, the “national security establishment is Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Brent deficient not so much in deciding what Scowcroft, John M. Shalikashvili, and to do” as in lacking the means to imple- John P. White. The core group of authors ment defense policy effectively. have occupied practically every senior The book is organized into eleven chap- position in the national security environ- ters, each of which discusses deficiencies ment, while others have dedicated their in a key area of national security. Each professional lives to the study of national chapter describes the changing security security policies and supporting struc- environment relevant to the subject of tures. They speak with as much authority discussion, then offers comprehensive as one could possibly find in a single suggestions to improve the execution of book. whatever policy choices are made. Most This book addresses those in policy posi- of the chapters also provide superb in- tions who wish to reform organizations sight into what future policy choices and practices that, according to the au- should be. Among the chapters are: thors, increasingly sap the vitality of our “Managing Defense for the Future,” military capability; it is concrete as well “Keeping the Edge in Joint Operations,” as comprehensive in its recommenda- “Exploiting the Internet Revolution,” tions. Keeping the Edge will also help peo- “Keeping the Edge in Intelligence,” ple who are not currently in positions to “Countering Asymmetric Threats,” affect policy to understand the substan- “Keeping the Technological Edge,” “Ad- tial flaws in the anatomy and physiology vancing the Revolution in Business Af- of the organizations that implement na- fairs,” “Ensuring Quality People in tional security policies. Experienced na- Defense,” “Managing the Pentagon’s In- tional security scholars and practitioners ternational Relations,” “Strengthening will respond to the authors’ contention the National Security Interagency Pro- that existing policy-implementing prac- cess,” and “Implementing Change.” Each tices themselves are a threat to future chapter is comprehensive and would U.S. national security. serve as an excellent guide to new policy The book must be read by anyone inter- makers who wish actually to see their ested in improving these processes and policies implemented. I doubt that any structures; it contains important guides organizational or managerial improve- for people who can marshal the influence ment has been omitted.

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