Andrew J. Bacevich, retired army colonel and author of bestselling books such as The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism (2008), establishes a link among US apparently separate military efforts in the Middle East over the past four decades in his latest book entitled ‘America’s War for the Greater Middle East’.
The book, which is a bracing after-action report from the front lines of history, also provides a searing reassessment of US military policy and fundamentally changes the readers’ view on America’s costly military exertions in the world’s most violate region.
The following is an interview by Mehr News International Service with Prof. Bacevich on his latest book, America’s War for the Greater Middle East:
What has been your main question in ‘America’s War for the Greater Middle East’?
I want readers to see US military interventions in the region undertaken pursuant to the Carter Doctrine of 1980 as parts of a single war that has now lasted more than three-and-a-half decades.
What hypothesis did you use to answer this question?
My book shows that US military efforts to “shape” the Greater Middle East have failed. I see no reason to expect that simply trying harder or employing new techniques will produce a more favorable result. If anything, US military efforts have made matters worse, as the existence of the ISIL testifies.
What was the driving force behind writing about this subject?
Only when Americans recognize that their War for the Greater Middle East has failed will it become possible for the United States to change its policy, taking a more sensible approach.
Andrew J. Bacevich, Sr. is an American historian specializing in international relations, security studies, and American foreign policy among other fields. He is a Professor Emeritus of International Relations and History at the Boston University, as well as retired army colonel and author of bestselling books such as 'The New American Militarism: How Americans Are Seduced by War' (2005), 'The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism' (2008) and his latest book 'America's War for the Greater Middle East: A Military History' (2016).
Interview by Shabnam Shokouhi
MS