Imperial Grunts: On the Ground with the American Military, from Mongolia to the Philippines to Iraq and Beyond |
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Robert D. Kaplan
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Pages: 448 (Paperback)
ISBN: 1400034574
Pub: Vintage Books USA
Pub date: 2006-09-12
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 203957
Reader Reviews:
Insightful view of US military from the ground up (0/0 people found this helpful)
This book looks at a number of military actions being undertaken in the 21st century from the view of the US soldiers/marines on the ground. It does not pretend to be objective but it shows the many and varied activities of the US abroad and how they do try and be sympathetic to the indigenous population and not just blow them up or shoot them (where possible).
It also suggests that 'Big Army' is out of date for the modern forces and modern cultures as being too slow, too remote and not trusting the people on the ground who are more willing to sacrifice their lives then the desk bound strategist in the Pentagon/Whitehall.
Although I am not ex-military or a historian I think that there is also story about the effects of globalisation; the way that local culture and loyalty will always re-assert itself and that exporting Western democracy may not be the best solution in a complicated, more media led world.
It makes you feel proud to have such soldiers on your side and ashamed of the politicians and generals who deploy them.
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> History -> Countries & Regions -> Asia -> East Asia -> Mongolia
Books -> Subjects -> History -> Countries & Regions -> Asia -> South East Asia -> Philippines
Books -> Subjects -> Society, Politics & Philosophy -> Government & Politics -> General AAS
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback
Books -> Refinements -> Font Size (format_browse-bin) -> Regular Size