A journalistic look at the primary post-Soviet threat to the
American military. Greider (One World, Ready or Not, 1996, etc.)
thrives on saying the emperor has no clothes, and his knack for
pointing out the obvious but unseen means only those who
consciously avert their eyes can pretend nothing is amiss. He
argues here that America's military-industrial complex is in a
state of denial about the end of the Cold War, and that "the status
quo in national defense is not going to survive" unless
decision-makers confront reality. Instead of the demobilization
that has followed previous conflicts, military, political, and
industrial leaders are acting as if current budget reductions
represent a temporary squeeze rather than a new norm. Rather than
give up new weapons systems the Pentagon cuts training and
personnel costs, leaving the warriors and their machines "competing
with each other for the money." Rather than admit that the economy
Reagan built on defense spending no longer exists and face the
political pain of base closings, politicians drain the budget to
keep open barely utilized facilities. Rather than rethink and
retool the weapons industry, huge factories operate at a fraction
of their capacity. But the contradictions between these policies
and the political and financial pressures of a post - Cold War
budget cannot be sustained indefinitely, and without rethinking
priorities, the ability of the military itself to function will be
undermined. Greider's observation while perusing a seemingly
endless line of military hardware now parked and waiting for a
conflict in Europe that did not happen captures the problem: what
do we do "now that a general peace is upon us? We don't know the
answer. We don't even want to talk about it." Perhaps this honest
glimpse of an untenable situation will start a conversation.
(Kirkus Reviews)
With President Clinton's current push for increased military
spending, William Greider's message is all the more urgent:
Americans must grasp the purpose and determine the future of our
gargantuan military machine. With the collapse of Communism, do we
really need this vast array of military power in fighting
readiness? Why? Can we afford it? Called a "smart and provocative
critique of a system that is badly in need of reform" (Washington
Post Book World) Fortress America explores how and why America has
avoided coming to terms with the end of the Cold War era -- and the
troubling consequences for our fighting forces and our country.
General
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