This post reviews the two following books:
and
448 pages, Audio: 17 hours, 10 minutes
by Robert Kaplan,
The Good
Kaplan gives an interesting introduction to how the American military operates at the lowest levels. Both books give a great deal of attention to the cultural differences in the various military branches, and the differences in lifestyle that each service imposes: the high-tech claustrophobia of a Navy submarine, the spartan austerity of a Marine Corps barracks, and the relative opulence of an Army or Air Force base. If you're a layman, like me, you'll walk away from this book with a better understanding of how a soldier, sailor, Marine or airman lives and works, and also how he or she tends to view the world.
The Bad
Try as hard as I might, I couldn't easily discern Kaplan's political inclinations, which is to his credit. What comes through loud and clear, however, is a vague but disturbingly intense form of uber-patriotism which makes me imagine Kaplan violently bursting into tears every time he sees a Norman Rockwell painting. He views American military history through thoroughly rose-colored glasses, explicitly subscribing to the view that wherever the American military goes, Freedom follows. Somehow I suspect a few people in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar (as well as anyone living on an Indian reservation) might disagree.
Overall
I recommend both books, but set your bull filter to high whenever Kaplan meanders away from the gritty details of military life and starts musing upon grand strategy, politics and history. For a more in-depth (and learned) critique of Kaplan's work see Tom Bissell's piece "Euphorias of Perrier: The Case Against Robert D. Kaplan" in the Virginia Quarterly Review, Summer 2006, Vol. 82 Issue 3, p235-252.
No comments:
Post a Comment