Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush's War Cabinet

This is a comprehensive and often critical study of the major members of George W. Bush's foreign policy team. James Mann's book traces the political career and ideological transformation of later cabinet members of the second Bush administration. His argument, that experiences in the Defense Department shaped the hawkish, aggressive view of the Vulcans, is persuasive and thought-provoking. In general a great starting point to understand the Iraq War and the neoconservatives.

In this absorbing albeit sometimes frightening look at the six most influential of GW's war cabinet, it is instructive to discover that they jokingly refer to themselves as "The Vulcans". Such free-associating and identifying themselves with a band of battle-hardened warriors is typical of the solipsistic way in which this coven of chicken-hawks views themselves and the wider world outside the rose-colored windows of the West Wing. So far out of touch with the realities of war and the pumped-up celebration of intellectual gamesmanship as opposed to battle experience, only two of the principals have any actual experience with the military at all, and only one, Colin Powell, ever actually saw combat. Indeed, it is exactly this sense of the callow intellectual arrogance of the others, impressively academically accomplished but only marginally administratively experienced in the praxis of the real world outside the ivory walls of the academy, bureaucratic functionaries like Paul Wolfowitz, Condoleeza Rice, Dick Cheney, and Richard Armitage, that shines through, and helps to explain the strange fevered brand of jingoistic and extremely self-serving patriotism that has characterized the deliberation of the Vulcan brotherhood. It is in the meticulous tracing of the individual careers and the internecine connections among the several individuals that this book provides such a yeoman's service to our understanding of the particular forms of madness that currently infects the Executive branch.In this sense, this book by James Mann is an impressive work of scholarship and presents the reader with a wealth of information regarding each individual and how each of the principal's particular odyssey through a variety of academic, governmental, and corporate situations lends itself to their collectively peculiar take on the world, which the author characterizes as demonstrating a fevered embrace of American military power even as it eschews reasoning with traditional allies, as harboring and unfettered and unbending faith in the ability of American might to remake the world in its own image, and the power and allure of democracy as the model for the world's enthusiastic (or otherwise) evolution toward our kind of brave new world. In this sense, the fact that so few of them seem to remember Vietnam tells one volumes of the political blindfolds these people bring to their deliberations.Of course, this is not to suggest that Mann shows uniformity of opinion or approaches among the principals, and he handily demonstrates how different orbits of power have emerged, with Colin Powell and Richard Armitage (those with the most diplomatic and military experience) arguing on behalf of more restrained and traditional diplomatic approaches to vexingly complex world problems, but often losing to the bureaucratic in-fighting to the combined forces of Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, who often pull Paul Wolfowitz and feckless Condoleeza Rice in tow to win the day in terms of the collegial (and otherwise) infighting that goes on within the Vulcan brotherhood. Yet, it is also accurate to characterize the six as sharing core values, viewing the military in general and the Pentagon in particular as the single most effective and efficient arm of American power and the standard holder for extension of the Bush administration's foreign policy prerogatives. Moreover, Mann seems to believe that this perception of the world and our place in it stems from the experience of 911 (something I strenuously disagree with, given Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Cheney and others having recommended invasion of Iraq to President Clinton in an open letter in the mid-1990s). Mann admits as much in tracing the history of these ardent proponents of intervention who themselves avoided military service in train to their own greater personal political and academic ambitions. Likewise, Cheney's reworked doctrine of preemptive attacks as being justified, which he first introduced in the early 1990s.These are people who believe an overpowering military capability is an essential underpinning for current policy, and is synonymous to corresponding American interests. In this solipsistic worldview America is held to be an unmitigated force for good regardless of the collateral damage we may cause in visiting hellfire and aggression. In addition, they are card-carrying professional Pollyannas regarding American power, dismissing any and all arguments about over-extension of resources; skeptical to the man (or uber-woman) about consultation with allies or pesky multilateralism. This book is a splendid read even if one sometimes wonders if the author is bending over backwards in deference to the principals. His treatment of broad policy issues such as the transition from the Realpolitik world of Kissingerian hegemony to the seedy notions of preemptive aggression and the use of 911 as an excuse for a multitude of excesses and extensions mentioned nowhere in the Constitution. The anecdotal flow is entertaining and educational, and we learn a great deal both about the individuals and the way in which our foreign policy is being created and executed. Enjoy!

Book does an excellent job of illuminating the trends of fascissm found within the Republican party and how "old boy networking" from one Republican adminstration to another led to the decline of freedom within the world community.

This book was recommended to us by a friend who was actually working for the Bush administration during this period. It really helps you to understand what was going on at the time.

Excellent unbiased and detailed documentation of GWB's main advisers. Mann gives you the facts and lets you come to your own conclusions.

Politics, regardless of its location, can be a murky state of affairs. Jim Mann's "Rise of the Vulcans" tries to shine a light on some of the murkier elements of contemporary US politics. His work is an admirable success.It is very clear that the so-called Vulcans ie Rice, Armitage, Wolfowitz, et al have a near messianic zeal. They will brook no challenge to their collective world view. And that is a world view that sees a predominant America flexing its muscle whilst pursuing its interests.Mann outlines the backgrounds of the players in some detail. His does this dispassionately and does not have an obvious axe to grind. However, the reader is left in no doubt as to competitive nature of the players. They each have very firmly held beliefs that allow for no shades of grey.As an observer, I am in two minds as to the legitimacy for invading Iraq. Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator whose rule was evil personified. I can shed no tears for his demise. Yet the world is also home to similar tyrants who indisputably hold a threat to the wider world. North Korea immediately springs to mind. Should the US invade? Well, it doesn't seem to be on the agenda. Also, why did the US and the wider world turn a blind eye to the Rwandan genocide?Regardless of the conundrums above and the contradictions they provide for US foreign policy, Mann's work is good reading for all interested students of modern US history.

Want to know why and who destabilized the Middle East here is a good starting point.

a must

Very interesting and well documented

Essential (and sympathetic) reading on the rise to power of the neocon activists and the ideology behind them. Regardless of the sympathy, this text gives you details and references hard to find elsewhere. Hard to out down, it is also a work of reference. Read with Unger's book on the fall of the house of Bush for the broader picture.

近年読んだ国際政治関係の本の中でもっとも面白い本でした。このような本こそ良質の政治ジャーナリズムというのでしょうね。またこのようなテーマの先見性を的確に捉え、十分な準備をし、このような著作を出版にまで持っていくアメリカの出版業界の底力にはいつもながら感心させられます。テーマはイラク開戦の主導権をとった六人の政策決定者の３５年以上にわたる政治的な経歴と思想的な変貌とを克明にたどり、彼らの最終的に明らかにされるグランドデザインの萌芽と形成をたどることにあり、結果として出来上がった作品は大河ドラマの趣すら感じられます。著者は、冷戦とその終結後という形でアメリカの対外政策を二分する思考法を否定します。むしろ、ヴェトナム戦争での苦い経験を糧に、どのようにしてアメリカの影響力を軍事力をベースに、変化しつつある環境の下で再構築するかに知的構想力と政治的な資源を費やしたアメリカ版団塊の世代の代表者としての彼らに着目します。冷戦を超えたグランドデザインがあったというのは斬新な視角です。そのドクトリンからもう一度過去４０年の米国の対外政策を再解釈するのは刺激的な作業です。また痛感するのは、長期的な知的構想力の持つ結果としての大きな政治的な影響力です。明確な論理の展開とわかりやすい英語でベトナム戦争後のアメリカ外交政策の論点を明確に呈示しておりあっという間に読めてしまいます。

In Depth insight into the intellectual influences and ideologies of Bush's behind the scenes advisors. How think, what they think, and the implications on policy development that shaped the George W's Presidency. Especially, why Iraq.

It's an excellent book. I recommend it to any students of foreign policy, politicians, and diplomats to read. I really enjoyed reading it, picked up a lot of tips, and will add the book to my library.