Books : The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism
Binding: Paperback
EAN: 9781863953276
ISBN: 1863953272
Label: Black Inc.
Manufacturer: Black Inc.
Number Of Pages: 224
Publication Date: 2008-10
Publisher: Black Inc.
Sales Rank: 200118
Studio: Black Inc.
Related Items:
Editorial Review:
Product Description:
From an acclaimed conservative historian and former military officer, a bracing call for a pragmatic confrontation with the nation's problems
The Limits of Power identifies a profound triple crisis facing America: the economy, in remarkable disarray, can no longer be fixed by relying on expansion abroad; the government, transformed by an imperial presidency, is a democracy in form only; U.S. involvement in endless wars, driven by a deep infatuation with military power, has been a catastrophe for the body politic. These pressing problems threaten all of us, Republicans and Democrats. If the nation is to solve its predicament, it will need the revival of a distinctly American approach: the neglected tradition of realism.
Andrew J. Bacevich, uniquely respected across the political spectrum, offers a historical perspective on the illusions that have governed American policy since 1945. The realism he proposes includes respect for power and its limits; sensitivity to unintended consequences; aversion to claims of exceptionalism; skepticism of easy solutions, especially those involving force; and a conviction that the books will have to balance. Only a return to such principles, Bacevich argues, can provide common ground for fixing America’s urgent problems before the damage becomes irreparable.
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
I think more American Citizens should read "LIMITS OF POWER" to be enlightened about what has happened to our Country. My own fears were confirmed when reading this book. Whether it is too late or not, we, who love our Country, must act to try and get our government back to being The Great Republic that it was created to be. The Elected Officials in Washington care only about themselves and gaining power and wealth. They do not do the bidding of the American People and waste our hard earned tax dollars.
Rating:  -
Most of the facts that Andrew Bacevich puts forth are quite true. The central core of the book, the weakness of the idea of American exceptionalism, is indeed valid. That excptionaism and the resulting imperialist tendencies make American government more of a threat to American citizens and society, and actually the whole world, than most foreign powers. Even though he gets that right, it is based on some misunderstandings which only serve to bring him to some misguided conclusions.
His premise is that, because Americans have a fetish about freedom, they have succumbed to consumerism and dependence on foreign oil and other goods, in order to live the good life. This dependence has put a premium on military might to protect the freedom to consume. He sees this as the primary cause of the Middle East conflicts. Americans protecting their interests, using the false front of freeing the people of that region from tyrants, use military might to protect their supposed right to cheap oil.
He is writing from a background as a retired army colonel. When he speaks of The United States, America or Americans, he is generally speaking of the collective political apparatus of the state, not about the people at all. This does set the tone for much of the book and his outlook. There are times, however, when he does refer to the people with those terms, thus, adding a bit of confusion to the logic.
A fundamental error in his logic, which affects ... Read More
Rating: -
Great book although depressing to see where we have been and what we need to do. A must read regardless of your political leanings. Shows Congress is as much to blame as our presidents when it comes to war policy due to abdication of their responsibilities.
Rating: -
In this short book, Bacevich gets right to the point--the American way of life since post-WWII can best be described as the desperate drive for "more"; this penchant for more drives our foreign policy, threatens our economic stability and national security, and profoundly affects how we are perceived around the globe. This book is not preachy. I read lots of political works, but this one, more so than any book in the last several years, really made me see myself, as well as my country, from a fresh perspective.
Rating:  -
Bacevich uses history from primarily the last half-century to point out the flaws with the way our country has been operating.
I applaud the effort, and understand these short books are more of a motivational device for readers. As such, I feel the book serves its purpose. I wish, however, that Mr Bacevich would have chosen to dig beneath the veneer of events as presented by the mainstream media.
On one hand, he questions the handling of many popular events, but never the reporting of said event. It left me with the same bad taste the 7:00 news would. I guess my only point is that if you can't trust the leadership to accurately inform you of their decisions after an event, how can you trust them to accurately report on the event itself?
With the exception of a brief discussion of fact manipulation prior to the invasion of Iraq, Bacevich has left most of the truths "in the closet" - perhaps to not be labelled as a conspiracy theorist? Anyway, the book is still a good wakup call attempt, focusing more on military actions as opposed to something like The Revolution: A Manifesto which focuses more on the political side.
Browse for similar items by category:
|
