Worst Enemy: The Reluctant Transformation of the American Military
As we extricate ourselves from Iraq, the U.S. military, and particularly our ground combat forces, must be restored, and they must be restructured and reformed for the 21st century's new challenges. No better manual exists for how and why this should be done than John Arquilla's well-reasoned, thoughtful, and enlightened analysis. America's leaders, in and out of uniform, must pay heed if our security is to be guaranteed. (Gary Hart)This is a warning, by someone who knows, that we, the people, must find ways to help our military do what it seems incapable of doing—revolutionize its approach to dealing with terrorism and other international threats. But Arquilla, unlike many who seek revolutionary change, makes his case with style and sly wit—often leaving us laughing through our tears. (Seymour Hersh)John Arquilla's book is magnificent. It presents the clearest, most coherent and most convincing argument for radical change in our military that I have ever seen. He shows that a reconstituted U.S. military, networked together and moving at light speed, can work far more effectively with less than a quarter of its present strength, and can dispense entirely with that 'emblem of hierarchy,' the Pentagon. (Bevin Alexander)John Arquilla's work is a mind bomb—it explodes the archaic assumptions that continue to hamper the US military's performance in the 21st Century. We either listen to John or pay the price. (John Robb)His book is a compelling one, and a worthwhile read in particular for those of us with rare access to the perspective of military leaders and strategists. (Gemma Cooper-NovackFeminist Review Blog)Worst Enemyoffers not just the usual critical insights into what has gone wrong, but offers solutions to remedy problems in American defense policies, and comes from a professor of defense analysis. As such, it's an excellent survey… (Midwest Book Review)[Arquilla] offers an insider's account of the bureaucratic turf wars over military transformation and discusses the challenges in trying to push innovation amongst America's hidebound military. (Book News, Inc.)The author writes clearly and explains himself as he goes along, for the benefit of readers lacking a military background. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)