Crusades, Quagmires, and the American Way of War by Dominic Tierney
Excellent account of the types of wars that Americans enter into and the types of wars that Americans are willing to continue to support.
Excellently research and a very detailed bibliography make this a great reference for answering the question on the way Americans fight wars.
He asserts, in his conclusion, that "all three traditions are useful. The crusade tradition helps Americans mobilize for large-scale wars against foreign countries. The quagmire tradition makes us sensitive to the very real risks and costs of nation building. The foundation tradition highlights the wisdom of restraint during interstate war and promotes the military's involvement in a range of duties beyond conventional fighting." (p. 267)
The later is the tradition is the one that he recommends because of its use of the "full range of military alternatives--nation-building, limited interstate war, crusading interstate war--rather than just the most extreme and destructive option." (p. 267)
Throughout the book he uses examples of each of the national conflicts, in the nation's history, to discuss the different traditions and the way America has acted in all of them.
Highly recommended to help frame the discussion on the traditions of the American way of war.
Cheers
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