On Shedding an Obsolete Past: Bidding Farewell to the American Century

On Shedding an Obsolete Past provides a critical critique of recent US national security policies, highlighting their costly disappointments and failures. Bacevich offers insights into how these failures occurred and proposes solutions to prevent similar failures in the future, emphasizing the importance of understanding the past to shape a better future.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 29 December 2022
Publisher: Haymarket Books

The book "On Shedding an Obsolete Past" offers a comprehensive and essential critique of recent US national security policies under the Trump and Biden administrations. These policy decisions have resulted in a series of costly disappointments and outright failures that have devastated the lives of countless individuals around the globe and have incurred astronomical costs for US taxpayers.

Bacevich provides urgent and critical insights into the causes of these failures and the steps that must be taken to prevent similar failures from occurring in the future. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the past in order to alter our current trajectory and create a better world.

The book explores a range of topics, including the rise of authoritarianism, the erosion of democratic norms, and the challenges posed by emerging technologies. Bacevich offers a nuanced and balanced analysis of these issues, drawing on his extensive knowledge and expertise in international relations.

One of the book's most compelling arguments is that the US has become overly focused on military intervention and has neglected other critical aspects of national security, such as building alliances, promoting economic development, and addressing the root causes of conflict. Bacevich argues that this approach has led to a cycle of instability and violence that has harmed US interests and undermined its global reputation.

To address these challenges, Bacevich suggests a range of policy recommendations, including a shift towards more diplomatic and economic approaches to conflict resolution, a renewed emphasis on democratic values and institutions, and a greater investment in education and development. He also calls for a more robust and accountable system of government that can effectively address the complex and interconnected challenges of the 21st century.

"On Shedding an Obsolete Past" is a timely and important book that offers a critical perspective on US national security policies and their impact on the world. It is a must-read for policymakers, scholars, and anyone interested in understanding the complex and challenging landscape of international relations.

Weight: 576g
Dimension: 228 x 152 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781642598346