"The Commanders"

Paper Summary:

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss and analyze the book "The Commanders" by Bob Woodward. Specifically, it argues the Bush administration was effective in identifying political objectives and applying military resources to accomplish those objectives. It looks at how chapters 7-15 of Bob Woodward's book include discussions of the 1989 Panama invasion, civilian manipulation of the military and how the administration engineered and pulled off a military invasion during peacetime. It concludes that if the experience in Panama is any indication, then the George H.W. Bush administration was extremely adroit at identifying political objectives and applying military resources to accomplish those objectives.

From the Paper:

"Woodward's chronicle of the Bush administration and their international policy shows that using the military for political objectives is a common occurrence in modern day government. The lack of concern over military officers and their lack of political interest was clear throughout the book, and was well known throughout political circles. Woodward notes, "Most chilling to Crowe was the indifference that the Secretary of Defense [Cheney] seemed to have about the career of a four-star officer." He continues, "If the only way a commander could survive was to anticipate the political winds blowing in Washington and try to get out ahead of formal policy change, the military could be hopelessly contaminated.""

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• Analytical Essay # 22707 : "The Art of War"

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