Description
Book SynopsisThree interrelated subject areas are at the heart of the current foreign and national security dilemma. One is the Middle East, which has been the epicenter of most U.S. policy activity for over a third of a century. The second is energy policy, particularly as it is affected by the development and exploitation of shale oil and gas reserves in the United States. This is linked to the Middle East because it has been American dependence on Middle East petroleum that has created the interest the U.S. has in this region. The third area is military manpower policy and two simultaneous wars in the new century have raised questions about the all-volunteer force policy in place since 1972. It is increasingly evident that foreign and defense policy are strained and in need of fresh conceptualization. The three areas identified are the most obvious examples of policy dysfunction. The key area is the Middle East region. As long as the United States remains heavily committed to this part of the wo
Trade ReviewA prolific author on national security issues, Donald Snow’s new book is perfectly timed and should be read by all foreign policy advisors in the next administration. His critique of our Middle East-centric interventions combined with the changing geopolitics of oil and alternative energy sources offers pragmatic policy options for the region. -- Dr. Gary L. Guertner, former Chairman of the Policy and Strategy Department, U.S. Army War College
Table of ContentsPreface Part I: Introduction Chapter 1: The Foreign and National Security Inheritance: The Cold War Paradigm Chapter 2: Military Manpower: Who Serves His (or Her) Country Part II: Energy and U.S. Foreign and National Security Policy Chapter 3: Energy and Policy Determination: Oil Addiction and Its Consequences Chapter 4: A Return to Energy Independence and Its Consequences: Shale Oil and Gas Part III: The U.S. and the Middle East Chapter 5: The Vexatious Middle East Chapter 6: The U. S. Posture in the Middle East Chapter 7: One size doesn’t Fit All: Policy toward Very Different Places Chapter 8: Moving Ahead: Time for a Change
