Eliot A. Cohen Book order

What Shakespeare's plays can teach us about modern-day politics

"A must-read for anyone interested in military might--and how it can help us maintain the edge we need in this treacherous age." --Walter Russell Mead, Wall Street Journal In The Big Stick, Eliot A. Cohen argues that hard power is essential to cope with the challenge of an ambitious and well-armed China, the continuing threat from violent jihadists, the rise of revisionist states such as Russia, and the problems posed by ungoverned areas from outer space to cyberspace. It is a clear-eyed account of what military means can and--equally important--cannot do, the lessons of recent wars, and how soft power can supplement, but never fully replace, armed force.

The book offers a fresh perspective on military disasters, challenging conventional theories that attribute failures to individual or collective shortcomings. Instead, it delves into the intricate relationships among people, systems, and organizations, arguing that these complex interconnections are the true sources of significant military misfortunes. Through insightful analysis, the authors illuminate the underlying factors that contribute to unexpected outcomes in military operations.

Rejecting accepted theories for unexpected military disasters, the authors brilliantly analyze disasters of great magnitude. They assert that military misfortune turns not on individual or collective failure but is rooted in the nature of the complex interconnections between men, systems, and organizations.