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 'The Costs of Conversation: Obstacles to Peace Talks in Wartime' Oriana Skylar Mastro | Cornell University Press Through four primary case studies, “The Costs of Conversation” demonstrates that the strategic costs of conversation best explain the timing and nature of countries’ approach to wartime talks, and therefore when peace talks begin. How do we avoid war on the Korean Peninsula? And how will the ongoing US-China rivalry play out? Oriana Skylar Mastro joined AEI’s “Banter” podcast ahead of the Trump-Kim summit to discuss the process of diplomatic negotiations and her new book, “The Costs of Conversation: Obstacles to Peace Talks in Wartime” (Cornell University Press, 2019). Mastro explains how belligerents decide whether to talk to their enemies and why they go from only fighting to also talking. Listen here.
In this unique history of 1776, Claudio Saunt looks beyond the familiar story of the thirteen colonies to explore the many other revolutions roiling the turbulent American continent. In that fateful year, the Spanish landed in San Francisco, the Russians pushed into Alaska to hunt valuable sea otters, and the Sioux discovered the Black Hills. Hailed by critics for challenging our conventional view of the birth of America, West of the Revolution “[coaxes] our vision away from the Atlantic seaboard” and “exposes a continent seething with peoples and purposes beyond Minutemen and Redcoats” (Wall Street Journal).
22 illustrations; 15 maps  Misplaced guilt
by Andrew Roberts A review of In Praise of Empires: Globalization and Order by D. Lal The Italians are rightly proud of Ancient Rome, the French revere the Napoleonic First Empire, the Portuguese esteem Prince Henry the Navigator as highly as the Austrians do Emperor Charles V, or the Spanish King... more  The Meiji Restoration
by Michael R. Auslin via Stanford University Press For Japan, the Meiji Restoration of 1868 has something of the significance that the French Revolution has for France: it is the point from which modern history begins. In this now classic work of Japanese history, the late W. G. Beasley offers a comprehensive account of the origins, development, and immediate aftermath of the events that restored Imperial rule to Japan. ARMIES OF SAND: EFFECTIVENESS OF ARAB LEADERSHIP IN WAR & EGYPT'S PLACE IN US REGIONAL STRATEGY12/21/2018  The US has wasted billions of dollars on failed Arab armies Kenneth Pollack | Foreign Policy If the US is going to stay involved in the Middle East, it has to rethink the way it engages with Arab militaries. Ambitious dreams of engaged, modernized militaries must be replaced with more realistic plans that build on the real strengths of allies, instead of forcing soldiers into a mold that their societies and culture have left them unsuited for. U.S. Commanders Everyone Should Study By Joe Byerly, Wavell Room: “In America, we have had a number of military leaders worthy of study. By studying their leadership we gain an understanding of the problems they faced, the decisions they made, their successes and mistakes, and how they approached the art of command. More importantly we gain points of traction by which to grow our leadership abilities and become the best version ourselves. 'Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness' Kenneth Pollack | Oxford University Press 'Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness' Kenneth Pollack | Oxford University Press Since World War II, Arab armed forces have consistently punched below their weight. Over time, soldiers, scholars, and military experts have offered various explanations for this pattern. “Armies of Sand” assesses these differing explanations and isolates the most important causes. Arab Armies Under the Microscope by Seth Frantzman The Jerusalem Post February 13, 2019 https://www.meforum.org/57802/arab-armies-under-microscope Samuel Tadros: The Sorrows Of Egypt, Revisited
with Samuel Tadros via Hudson InstituteHoover Institution fellow Samuel Tadros discusses whether Egypt still has a place in the US grand strategy.  War Books: MG Mick Ryan’s 2019 Reading List By Mick Ryan, Modern War Institute: “Each year I assemble a single-page list of professional readings and other PME resources. It is not designed as a comprehensive reading program, but as short variety of resources for those who wish to begin (or re-energize) the amazing voyage of exploration in the many aspects of the profession of arms." AEI’s best books of 2018
James Pethokoukis | AEIdeas With 2018 coming to a close, we asked some of our scholars and staff about their favorite books of the past year. History, economics, literature, science fiction — AEI is an eclectic bunch, and there is something for everyone. Just in time for last-second Christmas gift ideas, too. 
"What a novel my life has been!" Napoleon once said of himself. Born into a poor family, the callow young man was, by twenty-six, an army general. Seduced by an older woman, his marriage transformed him into a galvanizing military commander. The Pope crowned him as Emperor of the French when he was only thirty-five. Within a few years, he became the effective master of Europe, his power unparalleled in modern history. His downfall was no less dramatic.
The story of Napoleon has been written many times. In some versions, he is a military genius, in others a war-obsessed tyrant. Here, historian Adam Zamoyski cuts through the mythology and explains Napoleon against the background of the European Enlightenment, and what he was himself seeking to achieve. This most famous of men is also the most hidden of men, and Zamoyski dives deeper than any previous biographer to find him. Beautifully written, Napoleonbrilliantly sets the man in his European context.  Blood-Soaked Monster
featuring Stephen Kotkin via The Claremont Review of Books Writing a biography of Joseph Stalin is a monumental task, which he made as difficult as possible.
Conservative internationalism: Armed diplomacy under Jefferson, Polk, Truman, and Reagan with Henry Nau
Wilson Shirley and Henry R. Nau | "Bradley Lecture Series"
On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, 2 years after Reagan famously said, ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall’
Mark J. Perry | AEIdeas 
BARRY STRAUSS Churchill’s Grandeur Andrew Roberts has written a masterful biography of the British statesman. AMAZON
Winston Churchill: Walking With Destiny interview with Andrew Roberts via Uncommon Knowledge Andrew Roberts examines the extraordinary life of Winston Churchill in Roberts’s new book, Churchill: Walking with Destiny. Andrew Roberts On The John Batchelor Show (Part 1 of 8) with Andrew Roberts via Hoover Daily ReportHoover Institution fellow Andrew Roberts discusses his latest book Churchill: Walking with Destiny. Part 2 - https://audioboom.com/posts/7163327-churchill-walking-with-destiny-2-of-8-kindle-ebook-by-andrew-roberts Part 3 - https://audioboom.com/posts/7163326-churchill-walking-with-destiny-3-of-8-kindle-ebook-by-andrew-roberts Part 4 - https://audioboom.com/posts/7163324-churchill-walking-with-destiny-4-of-8-kindle-ebook-by-andrew-roberts Part 5 - https://audioboom.com/posts/7163322-churchill-walking-with-destiny-5-of-8-kindle-ebook-by-andrew-roberts Part 6 - https://audioboom.com/posts/7163321-churchill-walking-with-destiny-6-of-8-kindle-ebook-by-andrew-roberts Part 7 - https://audioboom.com/posts/7163320-churchill-walking-with-destiny-7-of-8-kindle-ebook-by-andrew-roberts Part 8 - https://audioboom.com/posts/7163319-churchill-walking-with-destiny-8-of-8-kindle-ebook-by-andrew-roberts An Artist’s Churchill
Andrew Roberts delivers a masterly, standard-setting biography of the British leader.  Kevin Mckenna On Characters, Plot, And Themes Of In The First Circle by Russell Roberts via EconTalk Russian Literature Professor Kevin McKenna of the University of Vermont talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the characters, plot, and themes of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's masterpiece, In the First Circle. This is the second episode of the EconTalk book club discussing the book. The first episode--a discussion of Solzhenitsyn's life and times--is available on EconTalk at Kevin McKenna on Solzhenitsyn, the Soviet Union, and In the First Circle. Stephen Kotkin On Solzhenitsyn
by Russell Roberts featuring Stephen Kotkin via EconTalk This week, historian and author Stephen Kotkin of Princeton University and Stanford University's Hoover Institution talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the historical significance of the life and work of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Solzhenitsyn's birth. 
Judicial Fortitude: The Last Chance to Rein in the Administrative State Peter J. Wallison | Encounter Books In his newest book, Peter Wallison argues that the administrative agencies of the executive branch are gradually taking over the legislative role of Congress. The courts bear the major responsibility for this because they have failed to carry out their primary constitutional responsibility: to assure that the elected branches of the government — Congress and the president (including the executive branch that the president controls) — remain independent and separate from one another. Since 1937, the judiciary has abandoned this role. It has allowed administrative agencies great latitude in interpreting their statutory authorities. As a result, unnecessary regulation has imposed major costs on the US economy, the separation of powers has been compromised, and erosion of the role of a representative Congress creates a significant threat that Americans will question the legitimacy of the US government’s decisions in the future. A Chevron Revolution In The Supreme Court? by David Davenport via Defining Ideas A new book proposes a rollback of the administrative state. Reforming Regulation by Michael J. Boskin via PolicyEd There are often economic, health, safety, environmental, and other benefits that justify regulation. But it is important to keep in mind that many of them create a drag on the economy by imposing costs or stifling innovation and competition. Once implemented, we need to track their impact and periodically reevaluate them. An ongoing goal should be to achieve the original goals at a lower cost. The dangers of giving authority to administrative agencies
Peter J. Wallison | AEIdeas Not all administrations are willing to abandon due process and legal restrictions to achieve certain policy ends. But we risk this kind of lawlessness in the future unless administrative power is limited by law.  Review: America's Deep History With South Asia
quoting Niall Ferguson via The Wire Srinath Raghavan's history of US involvement in South Asia – primarily India, Pakistan and Afghanistan – provides a rich backdrop of lessons for today’s US policymakers as they consider dilemmas in the region.  The Best Books For Making Sense Of The Financial Crash, 10 Years Later
mentioning Niall Ferguson via The Strategist (New York Magazine) The financial crisis of 2008 was the most important single economic event since the 1930s — and it was also the subject of last week’s print issue of our magazine, which chronicles the ascent of the New New Left and Donald Trump, as well as the demise of the middle class, pop culture, and the American Dream.  2018 In Books: A Review of 80 Books for Leaders
From The Company Leader: "A move from coast-to-coast and a now long daily commute have combined to help in my 2018 book consumption. Audible has certainly been a game-changer too, making drives and PT hours double as “reading” time."  Clausewitz’s Library: Strategy, Politics, and Poetry By Vanya Eftimova Bellinger, Strategy Bridge: “Carl von Clausewitz is considered by many the west’s preeminent military theorist, and within professional military education his seminal treatise On War is extensively cited and studied. With so much attention, it might be supposed that we know all there is to know about his life and work. In reality, however, Clausewitz’s intellectual path, especially in his later years, remains somewhat of a mystery.” War Stories As They Should Be Told
By Steve Leonard, Modern War Institute: “With The Fighters, Chivers returns to classic form, bringing to life a series of personal stories of war, drawn together across time and space with a common thread: the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”  Victor Davis Hanson: The Secret Strength Of The West interview with Victor Davis Hanson via Our American Network Hoover Institution fellow Victor Davis Hanson discusses Carnage and Culture and the strength of the US. Learning War: The Evolution of Fighting Doctrine in the U.S. Navy, 1898-1945
By Stephen Stein, Strategy Bridge: "In these years, the Navy changed from a traditional institution of the sailing era, relying on apprenticeship and on-the-job training at sea, to a modern learning organization that valued technology, professional education, and shore-based schools."  On Islam Is on Target
William Kilpatrick One of the interesting aspects of Fr. James Schall’s refreshing collection of essays, On Islam, is that it provides a chronological record. The first essay appeared in 2003, the last in 2018. This allows the reader to see how our understanding of Islam has changed over those years. Unfortunately, it hasn’t changed much at all. […]  Pandora’s Box: A History of the First World War
By Richard Fulton, Strategy Bridge: “The key descriptor for the last two years of the war was exhaustion: physical, emotional, economic, spiritual exhaustion.” The Complete China Maritime Militia Bookshelf From Andrew S. Erickson: “Rarely is a topic so little recognized and so little understood, yet so important and so amenable to research using Chinese-language open sources…” |
Author of "The True Believer: Thoughts on the nature of Mass Movements."
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