Exercise of Power: American Failures, Successes, and a New Path Forward in the Post-Cold War World by Robert M. Gates: Conversation Starters

By dailyBooks

Exercise of Power: American Failures, Successes, and a New Path Forward in the Post-Cold War World by Robert M. Gates: Conversation Starters

The author of the bestselling autobiography, Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War, reminisces his vast experiences on national security and intelligence during his tenure of almost forty years in service under eight presidents. Robert M. Gates recalls historical events that have transpired after the Cold-War, in his latest book, Exercise of Power: America’s Failures, Successes, and a New Path Forward in the Post-Cold War World, and critiqued each administration in their management and mishandling of those events. Having dwelled in the presence of war for more than twenty years, the defense secretary laid down alternative suggestions on how past presidents could have dealt with previous problems and how the next leaders could put America back to the top of the world.

The book is an instant bestseller, as reported by The New York Times. Most readers find value in the information and insight provided by the book.



A Brief Look Inside: 
 
EVERY GOOD BOOK CONTAINS A WORLD FAR DEEPER
than the surface of its pages. The characters and their world come alive, 
and the characters and its world still live on. 
Conversation Starters is peppered with questions designed to
bring us beneath the surface of the page
and invite us into the world that lives on. 
 
These questions can be used to create hours of conversation:
 
• Foster a deeper understanding of the book
• Promote an atmosphere of discussion for groups
• Assist in the study of the book, either individually or corporately
• Explore unseen realms of the book as never seen before
 
Disclaimer: This book you are about to enjoy is an independent resource to supplement the original book, enhancing your experience. If you have not yet purchased a copy of the original book, please do before purchasing this unofficial Conversation Starters.
 
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• Language: English
• Publisher: Daily Books
• Release date: Jan 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9791220254670

Book preview

Answers

Introducing Exercise of Power

In 1993, the United States of America sat at the top of the world, reigning supreme over the economy, military, politics, diplomacy, democracy, and culture. Twenty-seven years after, the once-great country is withdrawing from leading the international scene. Challenges from Russia to China and problems with Iran and North Korea have continuously befallen the country since the Cold War. How did Washington unknowingly descend from the throne?

The Cold War is history’s most significant arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Americans had full capabilities in all nonmilitary powers during the war, especially in strategic communicationsーan unprecedented display of power since the Roman Empire. However, after the duel between the two countries, these soft powers have been significantly diminished and weakened, if they did not disappear altogether. What was mostly left, and always used, was military power.

For twenty years, the country has relied on militaristic solutions to every crisis, rather than treating it as the last resort. Although it was influential during the Cold War, the periods after that deemed it ineffective and incompatible. It left America with a weakened disposition in terms of long-term competition against, for example, China and Russia. Supposing the government is smart and has Lady Luck as an ally, a military confrontation will not materialize against these countries, but rather, a war will be waged in the context of soft power.

Nonmilitary instruments of power exist in various forms: economics, technology, international relations, religion, nationalism, digital, and culture. These powers survive decades of every possible dynamic change the world has experienced. The US’s dependence on hard power, which is overused by its presidents,  posed grave national and global consequences for the country.  Its leaders have tried to employ the army to do things that nonmilitary powers should have dealt with, resulting in its misuse and exhaustion. This dampened the US’s image