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Baghdad or Bust: The Inside Story of Gulf War 2
by Mike RyanThis is the true and compelling story of the sensationally successful joint US and UK campaign to liberate Iraq from the oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein from its conception to dramatic conclusion. The author describes the meticulous planning, and looks into the logistical and political problems. He also delves into those curses of modern warfare, friendly fire incidents and collateral damage
Baghdaddy: How Saddam Hussein Taught Me to Be a Better Father
by Lt. Col. Bill RileyAmerican Book Fest’s Best Book Awards Winner for Best Nonfiction Book of 2019 Military Writers Society of America Multiple Award-Winner: Founder’s Award for Standout Book of 2019 Gold Medal Award for Memoir category For readers of Educated and The Glass Castle, a moving new memoir about survival, family, and a humanizing insight into the individuals who fight the nation’s wars. As a child, he was raised in an unstable and violent home by a mother struggling with mental illness. An absent father with a firm belief in tough love left him with only his sister to understand or comfort him as they faced a home full of harshness, resentment, and physical abuse. As a man, he braved the war-torn landscapes of Kuwait, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Having learned early from his father that only the strong survive, he enlisted in the Air Force after high school and began an impressive military career in intelligence analysis, communications, and supporting special operations, meeting incredible individuals along the way. In his time overseas he faced harsh realities of the politics of war, the consequences of military actions, and the challenge of attempting to rebuild a country while its own people are trying to kill you. Baghdaddy is Bill Riley’s memoir: an honest and colorful depiction of his journey through a turbulent youth and into a challenging adulthood. This very human account of living in some of the least humane environments delivers the message that no matter how different we seem, we are all trying to make the best of life and learn how to be the best versions of ourselves.
Bahadur Shah of Gujarat: A King in Search of a Kingdom
by Kalpish RatnaTime has forgotten Bahadur Khan. History has condemned him as a drunken wastrel and overlooked his military genius. Part man, part horse; part Hindu, part Muslim; part Rajput, part Gujarati; what was he like, really, this rebellious young man? A warrior born, why did he refuse the most vital battle in history? Why did he surrender the islands of Bombay to two centuries of Portuguese rule? This is the story of that renegade prince, Bahadur, Shah of Gujarat. When Vasco da Gama lands near Kozhikode on 20 May 1498, he seems scant more than a visiting trader, just another discourteous barbarian, hardly a threat. But the aughts of the new century bring seismic change. Portuguese violence on the coast escalates and piracy menaces the Spice Route. Gujarat, richest among Indian kingdoms, nourished by her eighty-seven ports, feels the tremors. It is a time of shifting loyalties. Sultans wage war on land and forge uneasy entente at sea. Borders are redrawn, new kingdoms and principalities take shape. In Dilli, the throne of Hindustan is up for auction, and everybody is bidding. Alliances form and dissolve between Rajput, Lodhi, and Sharqi, while from across the mountains glares the Chagtai, Zahiruddin Babar. Into this tense arena strolls a teenager, Bahadur, Prince of Gujarat, exiled for his wildness; at nineteen, famous already for his prowess in battle. As battle lines are drawn at Panipat, veterans hold their breath. They know the fortunes of Hindustan depend on this untried youngster. In this powerfully imagined narrative, Kalpish Ratna recreates the obscure signposts of Bahadur's life drawing facts from Indian histories. The language sparkles, filigreed with lapidary skill. In various narrative styles, myth and legend blend metamagically with the tragic events of medieval history. Bahadur, masterfully delineated in chiaroscuro, reflects the confused loyalties of young Indians today. The story of this medieval prince belongs in our own times.
Bahama Mama (The Key West Escape Series #2)
by Tricia Leedom"I got a story that kept me up, turning the pages, reading on and on, shedding some tears when finally...well, ...finally...and I just couldn't put it down." - Always Time for a Nice Cup of Tea and a Good BookTroubles are piling up for Molly MacBain. Between navigating the moods of an increasingly sassy teenage daughter, grappling with money problems, and dealing with her daughter’s deadbeat dad, Molly doesn't need any more stress in her life. Her best friend’s wedding should be a welcome chance to relax, but Molly’s dismayed to discover her friend’s new brother-in-law is her idol—country music superstar Anders Ostergaard. After spending years on the country music circuit herself, Molly can't help but have a fangirl moment when she meets Anders in real life.Anders flies to Key West to attend his brother’s wedding and keep a low profile after a Vegas tragedy plasters his face to the cover of every tabloid. He has strict rules about getting involved with fans, but with her sharp wit and refreshing openness, Molly draws him in like no one has before, even as the shadow of his recent scandal stalks closer.Their flirtation is put on hold when Molly’s daughter witnesses a murder and winds up in Jamaica. Anders offers Molly his private plane, and together they race for Montego Bay, dodging the hit man who's hell-bent on eliminating everyone who knows of his crimes. When danger and proximity spark a blazing romance, Molly can't help wondering about the future. Can a fan and her idol build a lasting love? Or is their relationship just a fling fueled by the sultry Caribbean breeze? And most importantly—can she survive long enough to find out?The Key West Escape Series1. Rum Runner2. Bahama Mama – Coming May 08, 2018!3. Passion Punch – Coming 2019!“Leedom has done it again - and dare I say, even better!” – Dani, Goodreads
Bailout Over Normandy: A Flyboy's Adventures with the French Resistance and Other Escapades in Occupied France
by Ted FahrenwaldA daredevil pilot in the famed 352nd Fighter Squadron, the author of this remarkable memoir bailed out of his burning Mustang two days after D-Day and was launched on a thrilling adventure on the ground in Occupied France. After months living and fighting with the French Resistance, Fahrenwald was captured by the Wehrmacht, interrogated as a spy, and interned in a POW camp--and made a daring escape just before his deportation to Germany. Nothing diminished this pilot's talent for spotting the ironic humor in even the most aggravating or dangerous situations--and nothing stopped his penchant for extracting his own improvised and sometimes hilarious version of justice. A suspenseful WWII page-turner and an outrageously witty tale of daring and friendship, this book brings to vivid life the daily bravery, mischief, and intrigues of fighter pilots, Resistance fighters, and other Allies in the air and on the ground. Captured by the Wehrmacht, however, interrogated as a spy, and interned in a POW camp, the author made a daring escape just before his deportation to Germany. Nothing diminished Ted's talent for spotting the ironic humor in even the most aggravating or dangerous situations, nor his penchant for extracting his own improvised and sometimes hilarious version of justice. The author recorded his swashbuckling adventures at age twenty-four, after his discharge and return to the States. Afterward he went into business and never again put pen to paper. But his immediate reminiscence of his wartime experience--recently found--reveals a rare literary talent.
Bait: Duty And Honor Book Two (Duty & Honor #2)
by Leslie JonesIn the next thrilling Duty & Honor novel, a female CIA agent and a Delta Force soldier must catch a deadly assassin… but do they know where the danger truly lies?After several assassination attempts on an allied royal, the CIA sends in operative Christina Madison—who bears a striking resemblance to the monarch—to pose as the famous princess and draw out her would-be killer.When Delta Force Lieutenant Gabriel Morgan's team is assigned to Christina's undercover protection detail, he's less than thrilled. Gabe wants nothing to do with a woman whose rumored screw-up nearly got her last team killed. Not to mention there's bad blood between Gabe and the CIA—he doesn't trust anyone who lies for a living.But once the trap is set and the assassin takes the bait, Gabe must protect her with his life … because danger lurks in the shadows, and now Christina is in the crosshairs.
Bait: The Battle of Kham Duc
by James D. McLeroy Gregory W. SandersA history of one of the least known and most misunderstood battles in the Vietnam War.The strategic potential of the three-day attack of two North Vietnamese Army (NVA) regiments on Kham Duc, a remote and isolated Army Special Forces camp, on the eve of the first Paris peace talks in May 1968, was so significant that former President Lyndon Johnson included it in his memoirs. This gripping, original, eyewitness narrative and thoroughly researched analysis of a widely misinterpreted battle at the height of the Vietnam War radically contradicts all the other published accounts of it. In addition to the tactical details of the combat narrative, the authors consider the grand strategies and political contexts of the U.S. and North Vietnamese leaders.Praise for Bait: The Battle of Kham Duc“This book is a must read for any Vietnam historian or veteran.” —Patrick Brady, Major General, USA (ret.), Medal of Honor Recipient“For an authentic, detailed view of how large battles between U.S. combined-arms forces and regular North Vietnamese Army forces were fought in Vietnam in 1968, Bait: The Battle of Kham Duc is required reading.” —General H. Hugh Shelton, 14th Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff“This first-hand, exhaustively documented account of a large battle in the Vietnam War shows the decisive role of air power in all its forms.” —Carl Schneider, Major General, USAF (ret.)“One of those rare historical narratives that explains in rich detail a battle that was little understood or reported on at the time it was fought but was of strategic importance and heroic dimension.” —Marine Corps Gazette“The account of the battle is both detailed and exceptionally well-written; McLeroy’s participation in the battle adds authenticity to the narrative.... Highly recommended for anyone interested in how large-scale battles were fought in Vietnam at the height of U.S. commitment on the ground there.” —Journal of Military History
Bajo un cielo escarlata
by Mark T. SullivanEl chico que se convirtió en espía por amor en uno de los momentos más oscuros de la historia. La novela basada en la verdadera y épica historia de un héroe olvidado de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Pino Lella no quiere saber nada de la guerra ni de los nazis. Es un adolescente italiano obsesionado con la música y las chicas, pero, en la Milán de 1943, sus días de inocencia están contados. Cuando la casa de su familia es destruida por los bombardeos, Pino se une a una red clandestina que ayuda a los judíos a escapar a través de los Alpes, y se enamora de la bella y misteriosa Anna. Con la intención de protegerlo, sus padres lo obligan a alistarse en el ejército alemán y con solo 18 años es reclutado como chófer del general Hans Leyers, la mano derecha de Hitler en Italia y uno de los más poderosos y enigmáticos comandantes del Tercer Reich. Aunque eso le da la oportunidad de espiar para los aliados dentro del Alto Mando alemán, Pino habrá de superar los horrores de la guerra y de la ocupación nazi. Solo su amor por Anna y el sueño de la vida que compartirán algún día le darán la fuerza y el valor para seguir luchando en secreto. Los lectores que disfrutaron con La luz que no puedes ver, de Anthony Doerr, o El Ruiseñor, de Kristin Hannah, no querrán perderse esta emocionante historia de coraje, suspense y amor.
Baker Bandits: Korea's Band of Brothers
by Emmett Shelton Jr.An anthology of first-hand accounts of the Baker Bandits, U.S. Marines on the front line of battle during the Korean War.B-1-5 was a unique company in the Korean War. The Baker Bandits fought at Inchon, Naktong, Chosin Reservoir, Guerrilla Hunts and the many numbered hills. They inspired one B Company Commander, Gen. Charlie Cooper, to the extent that when he became Commanding General of the Marines First Division in 1977, his time with B-1-5 inspired his “Band Of Brothers Leadership Principles” used widely in the Corps for many years.Emmett Shelton was a nineteen-year-old Marine Reservist in 1950. He was called to duty after graduating Austin High School and, within six months, he was a rifleman in Korea. The Korean winter of 1950 was brutal, and Emmett was evacuated shortly after Chosin due to frostbite. After the war, Emmett got on with life, then in the 1980s he attended a Chosin Few Reunion. He was overwhelmed by a need to reconnect with his old Company, his Baker Bandits.Emmett tracked down B Company members one-by-one and started a newsletter, The Guidon, to share stories and reconnect. For twenty years Emmett published The Guidon, monthly. The contributing readership grew to a high of 300, including a number of young B Company Marines fighting in Afghanistan. The Baker Bandits brings together firsthand accounts from The Guidon, written by the men of B-1-5 about their time in Korea: their battles, their fallen commanders, death in the foxhole, lost platoons, injuries, and what happened to them after the war.Praise for Baker Bandits“The accounts include writings by officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted men, all of whom shared the terrible experiences of the Korean War together. This method of organizing the book is unusual, but it works well here, with a natural flow to the narrative due to careful editing and ordering. The veterans of the Korean War are almost all gone now. While their war was smaller in scope, their actions and service deserve to be remembered.” —Military Heritage Magazine“The accounts give an intensely personal look at [the marines’] experiences in the war, interspersed with historical narrative and sobering lists of casualties.” —Seapower
Balaclava 1854
by John SweetmanOsprey's examination of one of the most important battles of the Crimean War (1853-1856). The port of Balaclava was crucial in maintaining the supply lines for the Allied siege of Sevastapol. The Russian attack in October 1854 therefore posed a major threat to the survival of the Allied cause. This book examines in detail the crucial battle of Balaclava, including: the attack on the redoubts; the action of "the thin red line" in which an assortment of about 700 British troops, some invalids, were abandoned by their Turkish allies; the subsequent charge of the Heavy Brigade; and the most famous part of the battle: the infamous charge of the Light Brigade.
Balance Sheet
by John S. Duffield Peter J. DombrowskiEditors Duffield (political science, Georgia State U. ) and Dombrowski (Strategic Research Department, U. S. Naval War College) have enlisted the help of experts to provide a "balance sheet" on the Iraq War that evaluates the impact of the last six years on such issues as national security policy, the War on Terror, nuclear proliferation, stability in the Middle East and America's standing in the world. Written for anyone interested in the development of American foreign policy, this book analyzes the failure of counterproliferation strategies and questions whether we are safer now than before 9/11. Essays are provided by such noted writers as Steven Simon, Michael E. O'Hanlon, Clay Ramsay and Thomas G. Weiss. Stanford Security Studies is an imprint of Stanford U. Press. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Balance Sheet: The Iraq War and U.S. National Security
by John S. Duffield Peter J. DombrowskiThis book provides a comprehensive evaluation of the consequences of the Iraq war for the national security of the United States.
Balance of Power (Star Trek: The Next Generation #33)
by Dafydd ab HughWhen a famous Federation scientist dies, his son puts his inventions up for sale to the highest bidder, be they Federation, Klingon, Romulan, or Cardassian. Among the items at auction is a photon pulse canon capable of punching through a starship's shields with a single shot. Meanwhile, Wesley Crusher is kidnapped from the Academy by renegade Ferengi who have set their sights on the photon canon as well, and Captain Picard must outmaneuver enemies on every side to save Wesley and protect the EnterpriseTM from the deadly fire of the new canon.
Balancing Strategy: Sea Power, Neutrality, and Prize Law in the Seven Years' War (Cambridge Military Histories)
by Anna BrinkmanWhat is the relationship between seapower, law, and strategy? Anna Brinkman uses in-depth analysis of cases brought before the Court of Prize Appeal during the Seven Years' War to explore how Britain worked to shape maritime international law to its strategic advantage. Within the court, government officials and naval and legal minds came together to shape legal decisions from the perspectives of both legal philosophy and maritime strategic aims. As a result, neutrality and the negotiation of rights became critical to maritime warfare. Balancing Strategy unpicks a complex web of competing priorities: deals struck with the Dutch Republic and Spain; imperial rivalry; mercantilism; colonial trade; and the relationships between metropoles and colonies, trade, and the navy. Ultimately, influencing and shaping international law of the sea allows a nation to create the norms and rules that constrain or enable the use of seapower during war.
Balchen's Victory: The Loss and Rediscovery of an Admiral and His Ship
by Alan SmithThis is the story of Admiral Sir John Balchen, his life and career, and HMS Victory, the largest, finest ship-of-the-line in the Royal Navy at the time, which he commanded when both were lost, along with more than 1,000 crew, in an October storm in the English Channel in 1744. This is not the Victory of Trafalgar fame, however, but the First Rate built some thirty years earlier, the last Royal Navy three-decker to carry bronze cannons, and a ship whose poor design may well have contributed to her loss. It is also the story of Admiral John Balchen, a courageous, if not heroic, naval officer who saw major engagements and whose legacy in naval development deserves greater recognition. Indeed, the story of both the ship and her commander, their individual and remarkably parallel lives, can now be revealed as fundamental catalysts to the revolutionary reforms in naval shipbuilding, design and dockyard administration that transformed the Royal Navy after 1745. They were indeed major foundation stones for a navy that delivered the glorious achievements of Nelson, Anson, Howe, Hood, Rodney, Boscawen and many more in the great pantheon of British naval history that followed their loss. The exciting discovery of the wreck of HMS Victory in 2008, the subsequent and continuing public and political wrangling over possible salvage, and the 2019 display at Portsmouth of a mighty 42-pounder bronze gun retrieved from the wreck, have been the catalyst for this history of the admiral and his ship, and anyone with an interest in naval or maritime history, whether academic or popular, will be fascinated by the facts about the hitherto virtually unknown predecessor of Nelson’s great flagship. This glorious man-and-ship odyssey, whose intrinsic importance to naval history can now be recognised, is richly and compelling told in this important new book.
Balcony in the Forest
by Richard Howard Julien GracqIt is the fall of 1939, and Lieutenant Grange and his men are living in a chalet above a concrete bunker deep in the Ardennes forest, charged with defending the French-Belgian border against the Germans in a war that seems unreal, distant, and unlikely. Far more immediate is the earthy life of the forest itself and the deep sensations of childhood it recalls from Grange’s memory. Ostensibly readying for war, Grange instead spends his time observing the change in seasons, falling in love with a young free-spirited widow, and contemplating the absurd stasis of his present condition. This novel of long takes, dream states, and little dramatic action culminates abruptly in battle, an event that is as much the real incursion of the German army into France as it is the sudden intrusion of death into the suspended disbelief of life. Richard Howard’s skilled translation captures the fairy-tale otherworldliness and existential dread of this unusual, elusive novel (first published in 1958) by the supreme prose stylist Julien Gracq.
Baldur von Schirach: Nazi Leader and Head of the Hitler Youth
by Oliver RathkolbThough three of his four grandparents were from America and the first language he learned at home was English, Baldur von Schirach became one of the Third Reich’s most influential individuals. He joined the Nazi Party as early as 1925 at the age of eighteen and three years later became a member of its National Leadership. He also married Henriette, the daughter of Hitler’s personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann. Von Schirach continued to rise through the ranks of the Nazi Party, reaching the rank of SA-Gruppenführer. It was as the leader of the Hitler Youth organization, however, for which von Schirach is best remembered, becoming Reichsführer of the Hitler Youth on 16 June 1932, and the following year was given responsibility for all youth organizations in Germany. He also became a member of the Reichstag as a representative of the Party. Despite his influential position, he was called up for military service and served in the French campaign of 1940. Following this he became Reich Governor and the Nazi’s Gauleiter Reichsstatthalter in Vienna – powerful positions he retained until the final collapse of the Third Reich in May 1945. His responsibilities as Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter included overseeing the deportation of Vienna’s Jews to ghettos and concentration camps in occupied Poland. Though a confirmed anti-Semite, later in the war he pleaded for a moderate treatment of the eastern European peoples and criticized the conditions in which Jews were being deported. This caused a breach with Hitler and the Nazi leadership, though he managed to retain his position in Vienna. Following his capture by US troops, von Schirach was among the major war criminals put on trial at Nuremburg. Found guilty of crimes against humanity on 1 October 1946, von Schirach was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. He served out his time in the company of Rudolf Hess and Albert Speer in Spandau prison. He admitted his crimes and his role in the deportations and in his autobiography, I Believed in Hitler, he explained how he was drawn into the world of the Nazis. He also said that his aim was destroy any belief in the rebirth of Nazism as well as blaming himself for not having done more to prevent the concentration camps. This detailed and balanced analysis of Baldur von Schirach reveals the true and ambivalent nature of a complex and fascinating individual who played a key role in the events leading up to, and during, the Second World War.
Baldwin of the Times
by Robert DaviesHanson W. Baldwin was America's best-known military writer and analyst in the 20th Century covering conflicts from World War II to the Vietnam War. He was the military editor of the New York Times for forty years and his dispatches from Guadalcanal and the Western Pacific won him a Pulitzer Prize in 1943.This first biography of this Naval Academy graduate begins with an appreciation of the human and literary values learned from his Baltimore newspaper family. His midshipman years, 1920-1924, taught him the value of concentration. After three years of active service, he chose the life of a professional writer. A few days before the 1929 stock market crash, he joined the New York Times as a reporter. His career was advanced by the patronage of the Times publisher and by the talk of another European war in 1937. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1943 for his Guadalcanal series. After 1945, he thought the atomic bomb to be of limited use on the battlefield as well as in the politics of the Cold War. His news scoops upset many but were in keeping with his determination to tell his readers what its government was doing. His continuing criticism of Secretary McNamara's management of the Vietnam War and the Times management's annoyance with his pro-war position contributed to his decision to retire in March 1968. Later, he could only observe and to complain over the decline of American values and its harmful effects on the military. After his retirement he continued to write articles on military affairs for the news columns and Op-Ed page of the New York Times.
Baling Out: Amazing Dramas of Military Flying
by Robert JacksonTo bale out of a stricken airplane is a pilot's or aircrew's final chance to escape death. It is a traumatic and hazardous exercise that is only practiced in extremis and is in itself full of danger with no guarantee of survival. Many struggled free of a flaming and spinning aircraft only to see their parachute alight above them, some were machine gunned to death by their opponents as they drifted to earth, some landed in mine-fields and were blown apart and many landed in forests and died suspended from the treetops. And yet many survived, some to fight again and some to become prisoners of war. This book relates the experiences of many airmen who survived to tell the tale, some quite remarkable because of pure good luck, some because of ingenuity and some through pure determination to survive at all costs.This book includes escapes from crippled German, British and US aircraft; stories of the first pilots to use parachutes in WW1; amazing escapes from aircraft in the inter-war years.
Balkan Breakthrough: The Battle of Dobro Pole 1918 (Twentieth-Century Battles)
by Richard C. Hall&“An important account of a very overlooked aspect of the Great War.&” —Strategy Page With the transfer of German units to the western front in the spring of 1918, the position of the Central Powers on the Macedonian front worsened. Materiel became scarce and morale among the Bulgarian forces deteriorated. The Entente Command perceived in Macedonia an excellent opportunity to apply additional pressure to the Germans, who were already retreating on the western front. In September, Entente forces undertook an offensive directed primarily at Bulgarian defenses at Dobro Pole. Balkan Breakthrough tells the story of that battle and its consequences. Dobro Pole was the catalyst for the collapse of the Central Powers and the Entente victory in southeastern Europe―a defeat that helped persuade the German military leadership that the war was lost. While decisive in ending World War I in the region, the battle did not resolve the underlying national issues there. &“[Hall&’s] recreation of the morale crisis that eroded the fighting capability of the Bulgarian Army generally, and underlay its collapse at Dobro Pole and afterward, is a welcome addition to the history of a largely ignored front of the First World War.&” —International History Review &“Incredibly rich . . . well written, and thoroughly researched. For those unfamiliar with the critical role of the Balkans in World War I historiography, this will be an extremely useful introduction.&” —Graydon Tunstall, University of South Florida
Balkan Legacies of the Great War: The Past Is Never Dead (St Antony's)
by David Madden Elizabeth Roberts Othon AnastasakisThis is a rich yet succinct account of an underexplored story: the consequences of the Great War for the region which ignited it. It offers a fascinating tapestry: the collapse of Empires, the birth of Turkey and Yugoslavia, Greece as both victor and loser, Bulgaria's humiliating defeat; bitter memories, forced migrations, territorial implications and collective national amnesias. The legacies live on. <P><P> The contributions in this volume significantly enhance the debate about how the Great War is remembered in South East Europe, and why it still evokes such strong emotions and reactions, more than a century after its beginnings.
Ball Lightning
by Cixin Liu Joel MartinsenA science fiction adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of the Three-Body Trilogy, Cixin Liu's Ball Lightning is the story of what happens when the beauty of scientific inquiry runs up against the drive to harness new discoveries with no consideration of their possible consequences.When Chen’s parents are incinerated before his eyes by a blast of ball lightning, he devotes his life to cracking the secret of this mysterious natural phenomenon. His search takes him to stormy mountaintops, an experimental military weapons lab, and an old Soviet science station. The more he learns, the more he comes to realize that ball lightning is just the tip of an entirely new frontier. While Chen’s quest for answers gives purpose to his lonely life, it also pits him against soldiers and scientists with motives of their own: a beautiful army major with an obsession with dangerous weaponry, and a physicist who has no place for ethical considerations in his single-minded pursuit of knowledge.
Ballad for Baghdad: An Ex-Hippie Chick Viet Nam War Protester's Three Years in Iraq
by Ali Elizabeth Turner&“Want to know the real story of the war in Iraq? This is it. I love this book!&” (New York Times–bestselling author Lt. Col. Robert &“Buzz&” Patterson) In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ali Turner was a fully committed anti-war protestor. Caught up in the wave of aggressive activism that swept through the nation&’s college campuses Ali, in her own words, &“passionately wanted to see America destroyed.&” Decades later, she was stirred to action once again. This time as a fierce supporter of the military, living in a combat zone in an increasingly unpopular war. From 2004 to 2007, Ali had the chance of a lifetime to atone for the past and say a belated &“thank you&” for her freedom by working in Morale, Welfare, and Recreation centers in Baghdad. She heard the courageous and compassionate stories of hundreds of Iraqis, Coalition soldiers, Navy SEALS, interpreters, Army Rangers, and contractors from around the world. She was in Baghdad for the return of Iraq to the Iraqis, three Iraqi elections, and Saddam&’s trial and execution. An inspiring new perspective on Operation Iraqi Freedom, Ballad for Baghdad is an &“endearing and spiritual story about self-redemption&” written by a woman on an unforgettable, three-year odyssey on the frontlines (Major Sean Michael Flynn, author of The Fighting 69th).
Ballistic Missile Defence and US National Security Policy: Normalisation and Acceptance after the Cold War (Routledge Global Security Studies)
by Andrew FutterThis book examines the transformation in US thinking about the role of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) in national security policy since the end of the Cold War. The evolution of the BMD debate after the Cold War has been complex, complicated and punctuated. As this book shows, the debate and subsequent policy choices would often appear to reflect neither the particular requirements of the international system for US security at any given time, nor indeed the current capabilities of BMD technology. Ballistic Missile Defence and US National Security Policy traces the evolution of policy from the zero-sum debates that surrounded the Strategic Defense Initiative as Ronald Reagan left office, up to the relative political consensus that exists around a limited BMD deployment in 2012. The book shows how and why policy evolved in such a complex manner during this period, and explains the strategic reasoning and political pressures shaping BMD policy under each of the presidents who have held office since 1989. Ultimately, this volume demonstrates how relative advancements in technology, combined with growth in the perceived missile threat, gradually shifted the contours and rhythm of the domestic missile defence debate in the US towards acceptance and normalisation. This book will be of much interest to students of missile defence and arms control, US national security policy, strategic studies and international relations in general.
Ballistic Missile Proliferation in Non-Nuclear States: The Origins of Ballistic Missile Programmes in the Middle East (Routledge Global Security Studies)
by Karim El-Baz Ali Ghanbarpour-DizboniThis book offers an exploration of ballistic missile proliferation in the Middle East and also delves into the geopolitical landscape to unveil a narrative of contemporary Middle Eastern history.The central focus of this book is to decipher the pivotal moments when three regional powers of the Middle East - Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran - embraced ballistic capabilities as a strategic response to military vulnerabilities. The authors contend that the very essence of ballistic proliferation incorporates a tactical rationale provided by military needs that varies from one state to another, and it is upon the assessment of these military needs that the decision to procure ballistic missiles is made. Offering a blend of theoretical insights and primary sources-based case studies, this book dissects the decision-making processes that spurred these states to choose ballistic missiles, despite their inefficiencies in delivering conventional payloads. The absence of an effective air force emerges as a catalyst, triggering what the authors term a ‘moment of ballistic consciousness.' Spanning three diverse regimes, the work provides a rich historical tapestry and untangles the complexities of political decisions with military implications, providing a fresh perspective on global power dynamics. This narrative sheds light on the intersection of military strategy, geopolitical realities, and the pursuit of ballistic capabilities that shapes the world's security landscape.This book will be of much interest to students of arms control, nuclear proliferation, Middle Eastern politics, and International Relations.