For those wanting a detailed analysis of the strategic and
operational dimensions of the recent war, this is the book.--Tim
Dunne"Times Higher Education Supplement" (11/28/2003)
In their coverage of Operation Iraqi Freedom...embedded reporters
provided vertical depth but little horizontal scope. Profound
portraits of individual soldiers and units were rarely complemented
by competent narratives placing the various military operations in
the context of a grand strategic view. That is the job not of war
correspondents but of military "historians". Williamson Murray, a
senior fellow at the Institute of Defense Analysis, and Major
General Robert H. Scales Jr., a former commandant of the Army War
College, fill the void.--Robert D. Kaplan"The Atlantic"
(11/01/2003)
Military historians Murray and Scales have written an enormously
detailed description and analysis of the U.S.-led campaign to
overthrow Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq in March-April 2003.
Their book's value lies in its step-by-step report on the
invasion.--W. Spencer"Choice" (03/01/2004)
Murray and Scales are serious military historians [and] have a
knack for integrating tactical vignettes into their operational
narrative . . . Details like these give the reader a bit of the
taste and smell of the fighting. More important, [the authors] use
them adroitly to highlight factors that shaped the thinking of
American military commanders at key stages and to point out
critical lessons about the conduct of modern war . . . What emerges
from their book is a far more comprehensive view of a far more
complicated war than the vast majority of readers may have gleaned
from the snapshots provided by the news media during the 23 days of
major combat operations.--Kenneth M. Pollack "New York Times Book
Review "
Murray and Scales offer plenty of detailed combat accounts. But
largely, their book seeks to step back and put the war in a larger
frame.--Harry Levins"St. Louis Post-Dispatch" (12/14/2003)
Murrayand Scales, both American military academics, have produced a
superlative record of the invasion--part history, part critique and
part doctrinal template for the future--Lawrence D. Freedman "The
Economist "
The academic depth of Williamson Murray and the professional
experience of Major General Robert Scales ensure that their lively
account of the war against Iraq is a superior, authoritative
product. Its focus is operational (neither Donald Rumsfeld nor Paul
Wolfowitz appears in the index), but the authors acknowledge the
importance of political context, especially the 'sustaining power
of tyranny' even in the face of a 'shock and awe' air
assault.--Lawrence D. Freedman"Foreign Affairs" (01/01/2004)
The authors clearly had access to major military decision-makers
and after-action reports. But as seasoned military historians, they
go far beyond mere reportage, offering concise judgements about
both the planning and the conduct of the campaign...Mr. Murray and
Mr. Scales provide an illuminating look at the ground campaign that
culminated in the capture of Baghdad...The authors' discussion of
the war's ramifications is excellent and alone is worth the price
of the book...More detailed analyses of the war will follow this
book. By all means, read them. But the insights and judgments of
Williamson Murray and Robert Scales make "The Iraq War" a book that
will stand the test of time.--Mackubin Thomas Owens"Washington
Times" (03/21/2004)
in its step-by-step report on the invasion.
operational aspects are explained clearly without losing the depth
required to make this a serious study.
the Institute of Defense Analysis, and Major General Robert H.
Scales Jr., a former commandant of the Army War College, fill the
void.
their book is a far more comprehensive view of a far more
complicated war than the vast majority of readers may have gleaned
from the snapshots provided by the news media during the 23 days of
major combat operations.
Murray and Scales provide a lucid and leavened look at the
larger-scale forces shaping the war.
Williamson Murray and Robert Scales, both American military
academics, have produced a superlative record of the invasion--part
history, part critique and part doctrinal template for the future.
Technical and operational aspects are explained clearly without
losing the depth required to make this a serious study.
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
