Shooting Blanks: War Making That Doesn't Work

513 pp. "Shooting blanks" is what happens when the troops are called out and the results are not what was expected. The authors, distinguished defense analysts, look closely at all aspects of war-making--from officer training and weapons procurement to intelligence gathering and the relationship between "bullets and ballots"--and deliver a startling, timely clarion call that concerned citizens can't afford to ignore. From Publisher's Weekly: "In their survey of misapplied military power in the modern era, the authors identify five "basic bad habits" that contribute most significantly to foul-ups in war: preparing for the wrong conflict; procuring flawed weaponry; the misuse of military intelligence; the media's misleading not only the citizenry but political and military leaders; and sheer ineptitude. The bulk of the volume consists of vivid examples, from the early campaigns of WW I to Iraq's recent invasion of Kuwait. Dunnigan and Nofi ( Dirty Little Secrets ) offer straight talk in short bursts on topics ranging from common misconceptions (e.g., cost overruns in defense are greater than in other government contracts) to the amazingly persistent "Pearl Harbor syndrome" (land a devastating blow and the enemy will roll over and sue for peace)."