Book Review Imperial Grunts: On the Ground with the American Military, from Mongolia to the Phillippines to Iraq and Beyond by Robert D. Kaplan Copyright 2005 Review by Steve Fritsch
Robert D. Kaplan's Imperial Grunts: On the Ground with American Military, from Mongolia to the Philippines to Iraq and Beyond is one of the best books I have read regarding the current state of the United States military, its role in U.S. foreign policy, and its many missions in the War on Terrorism. Kaplan brilliantly weaves together aspects of history, culture, politics and military affairs and allows the reader to not only understand why certain things happen as they do, but to also feel like you are right there with the troops each step of the way. It is an incredibly hard book to put down once you start reading it.
Kaplan, a correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly and the author of ten previous books on foreign affairs and travel, visits numerous parts of the globe where the U.S. military is currently waging different elements of warfare. Embedded with the very troops he is writing about, Kaplan provides first-hand accounts of today's bravest soldiers as they attempt not only to kill "bad guys," but to also win the "hearts and minds" of people all over the world.
From its title, one may think that book is anti-military or anti-American, but it is actually one of the most pro-military books you will ever read by a mainstream American journalist. Kaplan does go to great detail in explaining why he labels the United States with the terms "empire" and "imperial," though it is not in the typical negative light that one may think. Kaplan writes:
Imperialism is but a form of isolationism, in which the demand for absolute, undefiled security at home leads one to conquer the world, and in the process to become subject to all the world's anxieties. That is why empires arise at the fringes of consciousness, half in denial. By the time an imperial reality becomes truly manifest, it is a sign that the apex of empire is at hand, with a gradual retreat more likely then fresh conquests.
Furthermore, Kaplan notes that, "Empires are a work in progress, with necessity rather than glory the investigator of each outward push," and that the "American Empire progressed likewise." He quotes historian Bernard De Voto, who said, "As both a dream and a fact the American Empire was born before the Unites States."
For would-be skeptics of Imperial Grunts, the book is pro-military in nature not because Kaplan is being a cheerleader for current policy or military decisions, but because he's simply telling the life stories of the individual soldiers on each mission. By doing this, he allows the soldiers themselves to explain to the reader why they decided to join the armed forces to begin with, and why they feel it is so important for the American military to help spread democratic principles and ideas of liberty, freedom and human rights around the world (a recurrent theme from the majority of soldiers).
Imperial Grunts is broken down into Kaplan's accounts of American military operations in such places as Yemen (which has the largest al-Qaeda presence anywhere outside of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border), Columbia, the Philippines, Mongolia, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, and Iraq. Everywhere Kaplan goes, whether it's with the Special Forces or with the Marines (both different in their methods and approaches to fighting terrorists) the main focus on the majority of the soldiers minds is adapting to the different cultures of each country and in doing so learning to work positively and cooperatively with the people of each of those nations.
It is this element of the new unconditional warfare being waged by U.S. soldiers that is perhaps the most striking lesson of this book. Today's battles are not just about killing "bad guys" and leaving to find more, but to kill "bad guys" and to win the "hearts and minds of the people" that they're leaving behind. Kaplan explains to the reader how enormous amounts of U.S. aid are being used to provide medical care to indigenous people all over the world, as well as building schools, roads, and other types of infrastructure. There are also many heartwarming moments throughout the book as soldiers become friendly with the locals, especially children (whom the soldiers win over by handing out candy and Power Bars). All this makes the reader realize, if they had some how forgotten or were ignorant of it to begin with, that America, through its men and women in the military, are doing lots of great humanitarian things out there, and that it's definitely not as bad as the mainstream media paints it sometimes.
I highly recommend this book to all Americans interested in foreign affairs and the U.S. military's role in bringing peace to the world. Whether you are on the right or the left of the political spectrum, this book will open your eyes to a variety of important facts and stories that you will not see or hear about on the daily mainstream news networks.