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Loading... Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush's War Cabinet (2004)by James MANN
   None No current Talk conversations about this book.   ) aeceyton | Aug 18, 2017 |   ) carterchristian1 | Mar 24, 2009 | Title: Rise of The Vulcans Author: James Mann Who are the Vulcans? They are an inner circle of advisers to G. W. Bush who, over decades in some cases, have a long shared experience in government dating back to Nixon, Ford, Reagan and the first Bush administration. Because they have been working together in a variety of governmental positions, both high and low, for so long a time, they adopted the name of “Vulcans“, after the Roman god of fire, the forge and metalwork. Donald Rumsfeld’s careers started as a congressional representatives from his home state of Illinois. He brought in a protégé, Richard Cheney. Colin Powell’s start was in the ROTC in college and he rose through the Army’s ranked quickly. Richard Armitage also started with the military at Annapolis and distinguished himself during three tours of duty in Vietnam. Paul Wolfowitz and Condoleeza Rice were academics whose interests and expertise brought them to the attention of governmental and political leaders. The book “Rise Of The Vulcans” gives a very good account of the backgrounds of these people. Their interest in government, their egos, and their abilities are demonstrated. This book is well documented with footnotes and attributions. From Cold War detente under Kissinger in the ‘70s to the present posture of “preemptive war” under Bush is a fascinating saga. The current administration’s adventure is problematic. The unilateralist reliance on superpower military might is a departure from previous administrations. The book describes how these attitudinal change came about. I felt that a glaring omission was the large part played by Carl Rove, as the political adviser, and Bush’s heavy reliance on Karen Hughes, in his decision-making. For a controversially elected President, with no strong mandate, a promise of “compassionate conservatism”, and “NO nation building“, Bush has taken the country into dangerous and expensive territory. How the current tumultuous situation plays out is yet to be seen. Swampslogger | Mar 19, 2007 |  ) JBD1 | Jan 18, 2006 | no reviews | add a review
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When George W. Bush campaigned for the White House, he was such a novice in foreign policy that he couldn't name the president of Pakistan and momentarily suggested he thought the Taliban was a rock-and-roll band. But he relied upon a group called the Vulcans--an inner circle of advisers with a long, shared experience in government, dating back to the Nixon, Ford, Reagan and first Bush administrations. After returning to power in 2001, the Vulcans were widely expected to restore U.S. foreign policy to what it had been under George H. W. Bush and previous Republican administrations. Instead, the Vulcans put America on an entirely new and different course, adopting a far-reaching set of ideas that changed the world and America's role in it. Rise of the Vulcans is nothing less than a detailed, incisive thirty-five-year history of the top six members of the Vulcans--Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Armitage, and Condoleezza Rice--and the era of American dominance they represent. It is the story of the lives, ideas and careers of Bush's war cabinet--the group of Washington insiders who took charge of America's response to September 11 and led the nation into its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Separately, each of these stories sheds astonishing light not only on the formative influences that brought these nascent leaders from obscurity to the pinnacle of power, but also on the experiences, conflicts and competitions that prefigured their actions on the present world stage. Taken together, the individuals in this book represent a unique generation in American history--a generation that might be compared to the "wise men" who shaped American policy after World War II or the "best and brightest" who prosecuted the war in Vietnam. Over the past three decades, since the time of Vietnam, these individuals have gradually led the way in shaping a new vision of an unchallengeable America seeking to dominate the globe through its military power. No library descriptions found. |
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 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)327.7300922Social sciences Political Science International Relations North America United StatesLC ClassificationRatingAverage: (3.91)
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