Survivor Max
  • Home
  • Skilled Survival
  • Offgrid
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Survivor Max
No Result
View All Result

Book Review: “Guaranteeing America’s Security in the 21st Century”

admin by admin
August 19, 2022
in Offgrid
0
414
SHARES
2.3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Premise: Published in 2016, this book seeks to convey what military, intelligence, and homeland security believed the 21st century would hold for the United States. Author William J. Parker III assembled essays from America’s “best and brightest,” including captains, colonels, majors, PhDs, and lawyers. Each of the U.S. armed services discusses its approach to the 21st century.

Our Review of “Guaranteeing America’s Security in the Twenty-First Century”

The Army has moved from dominating land into a world where its role is increasingly restricted by political concerns. Land dominance focused on being an army of occupation — less so in Iraq, but more so in Afghanistan. The Army philosophy was to bring lasting change to places where America was investing its national prestige.

The Navy treatise was focused on budgeting and contractor management efficiency. Future Navy missions weren’t questioned critically. Given the importance of maritime commerce and influence, this essay didn’t impress. The critical question of how the U.S. Navy could win against a peer adversary wasn’t mentioned.

U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens

One of the largest sections is an essay by the U.S. Coast Guard, by then part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The section began with buoy tending and ended with how one of the USCG’s most important missions was dealing with the feelings of its service members. It’s a precursor of the sensitivity training that is commonplace in the American military today.

The Air Force section totally lost me. It went on and on about cyber warfare and personnel skills development. I didn’t see much in the way of substance discussing what types of air campaigns the Air Force needed to prepare for. There was no mention of Yemen, which was just beginning to become a proving ground for advanced drone warfare, something that would become a vital element of the current war in Ukraine.

The Air Force section was also silent about the modernization of nuclear forces, and shift toward lower-yield weapons intended to influence regional power struggles. This glaring omission would have future consequences in the early days of 2022, when Vladimir Putin raised Russia’s threats of employing tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

Chapters were also devoted to the intelligence community, the FBI, and various elements of the DHS. These U.S. assets seemed to struggle finding direction, even a decade after September 11. There were worrisome questions asked. Writers expressed concern about homeland security turning toward the American people as international threats were perceived to be more remote. This hesitancy from non-military U.S. assets is the main reason I’d recommend serious students of American policy take the time to read this book. It’s a warning about what rot lurks inside the apple.

There are other poignant nuggets in this book. Almost in passing, one of the analysts noted a key difference between the U.S. and countries like China and Russia — both of the latter warn that harming one of their citizens abroad will result in swift retribution. This contrasts with our own government’s accommodating posture when foreign regimes mistreat U.S. nationals.

There’s a haunting feeling reading this book. At the writing cutoff in 2013, we were departing from the war in Iraq. The Arab Spring was just sprouting. And no one thought Russia would be bold enough to launch a full-scale military offensive on the capital of Ukraine.

The section written describing the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan is telling. The book makes little mention of Afghanistan’s problems of corruption that would lead to the humiliating U.S. withdrawal in August 2021.

The Verdict

Read it? Yes. But if you do, it’s best viewed as a historical work about America’s struggles to understand the world. Yet again, the “best and the brightest” got a lot of things wrong.

About the Book

Book & Author
Guaranteeing America’s Security in the Twenty-First Century by William J. Parker III

Publisher
MCP Books

MSRP
$35 (Amazon hard cover version)

URL
Amazon.com

Pages
625

Rating

Thrive
>Survive
Die

Related Posts

  • Preparedness Lessons Learned from the Invasion of UkraineAs preparedness-minded individuals, there’s much we can learn from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Take a moment to consider these lessons.
  • The New OFFGRID “What If?” Book is Now AvailableThe New OFFGRID “What If?” Book is Now AvailableWe’ve released a new OFFGRID “What If?” book that compiles dozens of scenarios into a single convenient format (paperback or digital).
  • Review: Phantom Hill CTF-1 Infrared Laser and IlluminatorReview: Phantom Hill CTF-1 Infrared Laser and IlluminatorWith a white light, IR laser, and IR illuminator in a single unit, the Phantom Hill CTF-1 is an all-in-one solution for low-light and NV use.
  • Lessons from a Soviet Union Collapse & Chernobyl SurvivorLessons from a Soviet Union Collapse & Chernobyl SurvivorAfter living through the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fallout of Chernobyl, Greg Mihovich understands the value of preparedness.
  • Book Review: “The Book of Two Guns” by Tiger McKeeThe Book of Two Guns is a journal written in the early 2000s that documented lessons learned while training with a 1911 pistol and AR-15.
  • Bag Drop: Personal Security Detachment BackpackBag Drop: Personal Security Detachment BackpackThe point of Personal Security Detachment (PSD) is to offer close protection of a high-value individual. You don’t want to look heavily-armed.
  • Raven Rock Book Review: A Little Bird Told MeRaven Rock Book Review: A Little Bird Told MeIn Raven Rock, author Garrett M. Graff examines the multibillion-dollar plan to save the United States government from a catastrophic event.
  • New: Midland MXPW Portable Radio Base StationsNew: Midland MXPW Portable Radio Base StationsThe new Midland MXPW series takes existing Midland mobile GMRS radios and integrates them into portable and durable metal ammo cans.
  • Review: Viktos Taculus Chest RigReview: Viktos Taculus Chest RigThe new Viktos Taculus offers a straightforward chest rig design that includes space for 3 mags and an IFAK at an extremely accessible price.

The post Book Review: “Guaranteeing America’s Security in the 21st Century” appeared first on RECOIL OFFGRID.

Source

Tags: BookMilitaryPreparationSafetySHTFSurvivalTechnologyweapon

Discussion about this post

The Basics of Long Range Shooting with Apex Training Solutions

The Basics of Long Range Shooting with Apex Training Solutions

by admin
February 3, 2023
0

Long range shooting is a skill that many shooters will never pursue, and that's a shame. Before you dismiss it...

CANCON Coming To Phoenix, Arizona April 28-30: A Fully Suppressed Range Day

CANCON Coming To Phoenix, Arizona April 28-30: A Fully Suppressed Range Day

by admin
February 1, 2023
0

CANCON comes to the West! Join RECOIL at the Ben Avery Shooting Center in Phoenix, Arizona April 29th and 30th,...

4Runner Upgrades: Westcott Roof Rack, Baja Designs Lights, & sPOD

4Runner Upgrades: Westcott Roof Rack, Baja Designs Lights, & sPOD

by admin
February 1, 2023
0

Hiking, camping, shooting, and off-roading — these are a few of our favorite things. Even if you're not a custom...

YouTube Censorship: Losing The Battle For 1A & 2A

YouTube Censorship: Losing The Battle For 1A & 2A

by admin
January 30, 2023
0

YOUTUBE BANS CHANNELS DAYS BEFORE SHOT SHOW 2023 YouTube has everything from cat videos to documentaries about war to child...

The Basics of Long Range Shooting with Apex Training Solutions
Offgrid

The Basics of Long Range Shooting with Apex Training Solutions

by admin
February 3, 2023
CANCON Coming To Phoenix, Arizona April 28-30: A Fully Suppressed Range Day
Offgrid

CANCON Coming To Phoenix, Arizona April 28-30: A Fully Suppressed Range Day

by admin
February 1, 2023
4Runner Upgrades: Westcott Roof Rack, Baja Designs Lights, & sPOD
Offgrid

4Runner Upgrades: Westcott Roof Rack, Baja Designs Lights, & sPOD

by admin
February 1, 2023
YouTube Censorship: Losing The Battle For 1A & 2A
Offgrid

YouTube Censorship: Losing The Battle For 1A & 2A

by admin
January 30, 2023
How Much Emergency Food Should I Have? THIS Much
Skilled Survival

How Much Emergency Food Should I Have? THIS Much

by admin
January 29, 2023
  • Home
  • Terms & Condition
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA
  • Contact

© 2021 SurvivorMax

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Skilled Survival
  • Offgrid
  • Contact

© 2021 SurvivorMax