Imperial Grunts: The American Military on the Ground
Written by Robert D. Kaplan
Narrated by John H. Mayer
4/5
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About this audiobook
Given unprecedented access, Kaplan takes us from the jungles of the southern Philippines to the glacial dust bowls of Mongolia, from the forts of Afghanistan to the forests of South America-not to mention Iraq-to show us Army Special Forces, Marines, and other uniformed Americans carrying out the many facets of U.S. foreign policy: negotiating with tribal factions, storming terrorist redoubts, performing humanitarian missions and training foreign soldiers.
In Imperial Grunts, Kaplan provides an unforgettable insider's account not only of our current involvement in world affairs, but also of where America, including the culture of its officers and enlisted men, is headed. This is the rare book that has the potential to change the way readers view the men and women of the military, war, and the global reach of American imperialism today.
As Kaplan writes, the only way to understand America's military is "on foot, or in a Humvee, with the troops themselves, for even as elites in New York and Washington debated imperialism in grand, historical terms, individual marines, soldiers, airmen, and sailors-all the cultural repositories of America's unique experience with freedom-were interpreting policy on their own, on the ground, in dozens upon dozens of countries every week, oblivious to such faraway discussions. . . . It was their stories I wanted to tell: from the ground up, at the point of contact."
Never before has America's overarching military strategy been parsed so incisively and evocatively. Kaplan introduces us to lone American servicemen whose presence in obscure countries is largely unknown, and concludes with a heart-stopping portrait of marines in the first battle in Fallujah. Extraordinary in its scope, beautifully written, Imperial Grunts, the first of two volumes, combines first-rate reporting with the sensitivity and insights of an acclaimed writer steeped in history, literature, and philosophy, to deliver a masterly account of America's global role in the twenty-first century.
• Imperial Grunts paints a vivid picture of how defense policy is implemented at the grassroots level.
• Kaplan travels throughout the world where U.S. forces are located. This is not just a book about Iraq or Afghanistan.
• Rather than debate imperialism, Kaplan relies on a keen understanding of history, philosophy, and in-the-field reporting to show how it actually works on the ground.
• Imperial Grunts escapes Washington and shows us what it's like to live with the grunts day to day.
Praise for Imperial Grunts
"One of the most important books of the last several years. Robert Kaplan uses his prodigious energy and matchless reporting skills to takes us on to the front lines with the new warrior-diplomats who use weapons, imagination, and personal passion to protect and advance the interests of the United States. This is a generation every American should come to know."
-Tom Brokaw
"Robert Kaplan has brilliantly captured the story of today's U.S. military operating in far-flung places on strange missions. Imperial Grunts is the most insightful and superbly written account of soldiering in the New World Disorder to date. It is a must read for all Americans."
-General Anthony C. Zinni, United States Marine Corps (Ret.)
"Kaplan infuses us with a sense of hope about the future. Through astonishing observations, truths, and stories, Imperial Grunts introduces a brand-new way of thinking about the enduring virtue of the American spirit."
-George Crile, author of Charlie Wilson’s War
“No recent book so well or so vivid
Robert D. Kaplan
Robert D. Kaplan is the bestselling author of nineteen books on foreign affairs and travel translated into many languages, including The Good American, The Revenege of Geography, Asia’s Cauldron, Monsoon, The Coming Anarchy, and Balkan Ghosts. He holds the Robert Strausz-Hupé Chair in Geopolitics at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. For three decades he reported on foreign affairs for The Atlantic. He was a member of the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board and the U.S. Navy’s Executive Panel. Foreign Policy magazine twice named him one of the world’s “Top 100 Global Thinkers.”
More audiobooks from Robert D. Kaplan
The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In Europe's Shadow: Two Cold Wars and a Thirty-Years Journey Through Romania and Beyond Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Asia's Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Centurions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What You're Really Meant To Do: A Road Map for Reaching Your Unique Potential Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Earning the Rockies: How Geography Shapes America's Role in the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fear Your Strengths: What You Are Best at Could Be Your Biggest Problem Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Soldiers of God: With Islamic Warriors in Afghanistan and Pakistan Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
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Reviews for Imperial Grunts
8 ratings7 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5In the tradition of John Reed, this book is journalism that clearly skews towards its subject. The fact that Kaplan is an engaging writer makes up for his sometime sycophantic writing on the military. I found it odd that in all his travels for this book he met only one member of the military he found mildly annoying. In an organization as large as the US military there are going to be great guys and a$%holes. The chapters not having to do with Afghanistan and Iraq are the most interesting, because they are more obscure. I think few Americans realize we have forces in Columbia, the Philippines. Although I disagree with some of the authors view points I do feel this is an important book that illuminates the lives of the military men and women and the military's global reach.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5For a non-military guy, I really liked this book. Kaplan follows soldiers through boot camp to their placement in the world. It gave me a different perspective on the usefulness of a well-trained army. I also liked the explanations of the different regions of influence such as CENCOM AND PACOM.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A window into the lives of non-commissioned and captain/lieutenant officers in special forces the marines -- the "tip of the spear" that promotes the US national interest. Kaplan covers Columbia, the Philippines, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Iraq. Highly recommended. 3.5.08Sir, we are truly sorry that we had to ask your family to leave the building. You can all go back in now. We will compensate your for the inconvenience. We are United States Marines, a different breed than you are used to. We do not take kindly to people shooting at us. If you have any information on the Ali Babas, please share it with us. If you know any of the Ali Babas personally, please tell them to attack us as quickly as possible so that we may kill them and start repairing sewers, electricity, and other services in your city.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Kaplan's mostly admiring portrayal of the military actually in the field is fascinating reading. For the most part, his idea that the troops and mid-level officers in the field have the best idea about how to handle situations is right. But he downplays the need for strategic decision-making that goes against what might be best tactically, and I think this hurts the book a bit.Nonetheless, I recommend Imperial Grunts as a fresh viewpoint of the military by someone who's at least been on the ground with them.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Originally gave it three stars but changed upon further reflection. I appreciate Kaplan's critcisms of our military as a bureaucracy while still praising it profusely for its good people. I enjoyed the focus on the geopolitical and strategic aspect of today's American "empire." Kaplan remains one of my favorites.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Love of The BoysRobert Kaplan loves his subject. And, after reading "Imperial Grunts" one can't help but agree with him. His story of the intrepidity, intelligence, faith and street smarts in the soldiers of our various Special Forces branches of the US military machine makes one proud to be an American represented by such folks. These young to middle aged men in as far flung places as Indonesia, The Horn of Africa, or South America are a credit to all of us.In this book, part travelogue and part policy exploration, one thing and one thing only might put off some readers. With Kaplan's love of staying true to the "talk" of the grunts he writes about a reader might often get confused with the constant use of acronyms which can be eye glazing at times and can also get you lost as to what is going on at others. If you are not immersed in the short hand of today's modern military I'd suggest placing a book mark at the back of the book where he has included the handy and necessary glossary to which you can refer frequently to keep up with the various missions and ideas he is talking about.Also, I commend Kaplan for not writing in the vulgar vernacular popular among young, hardened soldiers in war. It certainly is "real" to see such language, but it would have detracted from Kaplan's desire to assist us in understanding policy and what we should do as we interact with the natives of the foreign lands that are so important to our security and future.It is a shame that Viet Nam so ruined the upper echelons of our military and it is also a shame that all the hard lessons we learned at such great cost during the "small wars" of the late 1800's and early 1900's were lost to our experience today. Kaplan clearly shows that we are forced to learn these lessons all over again from the ground up, meaning the lowest ranks are smarter in their various theaters of operations than the highest generals. (Many would argue that has always been true, though!)One book I would suggest as a companion to this one and I feel it should be read first. I read "The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power ", by Max Boot, when it came out last year and I found it illuminating in the extreme. It is a must read before you delve into this one as it lays the ground for the reader to fully understand where we now stand and what we should be doing about it all. It also justifies the complaints that the "Grunts" Kaplan writes about have with the upper echelons today. I think Robert Kaplan would agree with me on this recommendation, too.So, get this book (and Max Boot's, too). It is thrilling, patriotic and illuminating. Great Job Mr. Kaplan!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kaplan is at his best when describing the far corners of the world where the US military is involved. However, he has fallen way too much in love with the military.