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Originally Posted by S-2
Awww...and here I thought we might have you on the edge of an honest-to-God rant.  |
If it had been a true rant, then I would have screwed up by skipping #s or something. However, it amazed me how much a book written about misguided SE Asia policy in 1958 could be "transported" 4 1/2 decades later to paint a similar broadbrush critique.
Plus, it's nice to test run thoughts and ideas - I'm trying to develop a list of ten books or so that I think cadets should try to read before getting commissioned or very soon afterwords. Given our history and culture of American exceptionalism (Manifest Destiny, "the beacon of liberty", etc.), I think this book is a great way to bring folks back to the reality that the "American Way" is not for everybody, and in fact, it can do great harm. It is an ironic title to the book in that the book's message is that the people abroad often make us look "ugly", while it is the ugly American that advances our interests (or the simple roaming farmer trying to boost egg production that is worshipped). So, it is important to learn the culture that you are operating in and then apply the levers that that culture sees as influential.