American Force: Dangers, Delusions, and Dilemmas in National Security

385 Pages·2012·2.948 MB·English

by  Richard K. Betts

RICHARD
Praise for AMERICAN FORCE K. BETTS
“In twelve detailed, well-written, and insightful chapters, American Force does a
masterful job analyzing all of the important issues that have arisen during the While American national security
conduct of post–World War II United States national security policy. This book is a policy has grown more interven-
must-read for policymakers and analysts trying to comprehend the current threats tionist since the Cold War, Wash-
to U.S. security and develop effective and efficient responses to them.” ington has also hoped to shape
the world on the cheap. Misled
—Lawrence J. Korb, assistant secretary of defense and senior fellow, by the stunning success against
Center for American Progress Iraq in 1991, administrations of both parties
have pursued ambitious aims withw limited force,
“In this distillation of a career spent on careful study of America’s use of military committing the country’s military frequently yet
power, Richard K. Betts provides a good, strong dose of skepticism. A practical often hesitantly, with inconsistent justification.
These ventures have produced strategic confu-
man, remarkably free of ideological cant, Betts has mixed a fine antidote to
sion, unplanned entanglements, and indecisive
strategic conceits, a healthy and humbling aid to good judgment.”
results. This collection of essays by Richard K.
—Philip Zelikow, counselor, U.S. State Department, and staff director Betts, a leading international politics scholar,
of the 9/11 Commission investigates the use of American force since the
end of the Cold War, suggesting guidelines for
making it more selective and successful.
“Richard K. Betts has long been one of America’s smartest, sanest, and most
knowledgeable scholars on national security affairs. American Force distills his
RICHARD K. BETTS is director of the Betts brings his extensive knowledge of twenti-
Saltzman Institute of War and Peace considerable wisdom and offers incisive and clear-eyed analyses of the main eth-century American diplomatic and military
Studies at Columbia University, adjunct security issues that United States leaders now face. If those who aspire to be history to bear on the full range of theory and
senior fellow at the Council on Foreign commander-in-chief (and those who hope to advise him or her) could be required practice in national security, surveying the Cold
Relations, and author of numerous books to read one book, this should be it.” DANGERS, DELUSIONS, War roots of recent initiatives and arguing that

on military strategy, intelligence, and for- U.S. policy has always been more unilateral than
eign policy, including Enemies of Intel- —Stephen Walt, Harvard Kennedy School liberal theorists claim. He exposes mistakes
ligence: Knowledge and Power in Amer- DILEMMAS made by humanitarian interventions and peace
ican National Security and Soldiers, “Richard K. Betts offers fresh thinking about where America stands in the world in and in operations; reviews the issues raised by terror-
Statesmen, and Cold War Crises. He has the early twenty-first century and how this nation can move forward most sensibly ism and the use of modern nuclear, biological,
taught at Harvard University and Johns in the defense of its territory and global interests. In short, this is an outstanding and cyber weapons; evaluates the case for pre-
NATIONAL SECURITY
Hopkins University, is a former analyst at effort. There is no other book quite like it.” ventive war, which almost always proves wrong;
the Brookings Institution, and has served weighs the lessons learned from campaigns in
on the National Commission on Terror- —Loch K. Johnson, University of Georgia Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam; assesses the
ism, the staffs of the Senate Intelligence rise of China and the resurgence of Russia;
Committee and the National Security quells concerns about civil-military relations; ex-
Council, and the advisory panels for the poses anomalies within recent defense budgets;
director of Central Intelligence and State A Council on Foreign Relations Book and confronts the practical barriers to effec-
and Defense departments. tive strategy. Betts ultimately argues for greater
RICHARD K. BETTS
caution and restraint, while encouraging more
ISBN: 978-0-231-15122-1
Columbia University Press decisive action when force is required, and he
New York
Jacket Design by Marc J Cohen recommends a more dispassionate assessment
cup.columbia.edu
Jacket Images from Getty and Photolibrary
Printed in the U.S.A. of national security interests, even in the face of
9 780231 151221 Columbia
global instability and unfamiliar threats.
AMERICAN FORCE
A Council on Foreign Relations Book
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Th e Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership
organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members,
government offi cials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and
religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand
the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.
Founded in 1921, CFR carries out its mission by maintaining a diverse membership,
with special programs to promote interest and develop expertise in the next genera-
tion of foreign policy leaders; convening meetings at its headquarters in New York and
in Washington, DC, and other cities where senior government offi cials, members of
Congress, global leaders, and prominent thinkers come together with CFR members to
discuss and debate major international issues; supporting a Studies Program that fosters
independent research, enabling CFR scholars to produce articles, reports, and books
and hold roundtables that analyze foreign policy issues and make concrete policy rec-
ommendations; publishing F oreign Aff airs, t he preeminent journal on international af-
fairs and U.S. foreign policy; sponsoring Independent Task Forces that produce reports
with both fi ndings and policy prescriptions on the most important foreign policy topics;
and providing up-to-date information and analysis about world events and American
foreign policy on its Web site, www.cfr.org.
Th e Council on Foreign Relations takes no institutional positions on policy issues
and has no affi liation with the U.S. government. All views expressed in its publications
and on its Web site are the sole responsibility of the author or authors.
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AMERICAN FORCE
Dangers, Delusions, and
Dilemmas in National Security
Richard K. Betts
Columbia University Press New York
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Columbia University Press
Publishers Since 1893
New York Chichester, West Sussex
Copyright © 2012 Columbia University Press
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Betts, Richard K., 1947–
American force : dangers, delusions, and dilemmas in national security / Richard K. Betts.
p. cm. — (A Council on Foreign Relations book)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-231-15122-1 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-231-52188-8 (ebk.)
1. United States—Foreign relations. 2. United States—Foreign relations—1945–1989.
3. United States—Foreign relations—1989– 4. United States—History, Military—20th century.
5. United States—Military policy. 6. National security—United States. I. Title. II. Series.
jz1480. B49 2011,
355.00973′09045—dc22
2011014659
Casebound editions of Columbia University Press books are printed
on permanent and durable acid-free paper.
Printed in the United States of America
c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
References to Internet Web sites (URLs) were accurate at the time of writing. Neither
the author nor Columbia University Press is responsible for URLs that may have expired
or changed since the manuscript was prepared.
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For a man I never knew, and those like him:
1st Lieutenant Andrew J. Bacevich Jr., U.S. Army, 1st Cavalry Division
Killed in action in Salah Ad Din Province, Iraq, May 13, 2007.
Soldiers don’t get to pick their wars.

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Western belief in the universality of Western culture suff ers from three
problems: it is false; it is immoral; and it is dangerous.
—Samuel P. Huntington, Th e Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of
World Order
It isn’t fashionable to say so, but the United States of America is the most
dangerous military power in the history of the world.
—Walter Russell Mead, S pecial Providence
A short jump is certainly easier than a long one: but no one wanting to
get across a wide ditch would begin by jumping half-way.
—Carl von Clausewitz, On War
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CONTENTS
xi preface
PART I. THE POST–COLD WAR HIATUS
3 1. INTRODUCTION: From Cold War to Hot Peace
19 2. POLICY MILESTONES: Cold War Roots of Consensus
50 3. CONFUSED INTERVENTIONS: Puttering with Primacy
81 4. NEW THREATS OF MASS DESTRUCTION: Capabilities Down, Intentions Up
PART II. HISTORY STRIKES BACK
105 5. TERRORISM: The Soft Underbelly of Primacy
128 6. STRIKING FIRST: Well-Lost Opportunities
145 7. BIG SMALL WARS: Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam
171 8. THE MAIN EVENTS: China’s Rise and Russia’s Resurgence
PART III. DECISION AND IMPLEMENTATION
201 9. CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS: A Special Problem?
232 10. PLANS AND RESULTS: Is Strategy an Illusion?
272 11. A DISCIPLINED DEFENSE: Regaining Strategic Solvency
284 12. CONCLUSION: Selecting Security
301 notes
341 index
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