Before the First Shots Are Fired, Tony Zinni
Before the First Shots Are Fired, Tony Zinni
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Before the First Shots Are Fired
How America Can Win or Lose Off the Battlefield

Author: Tony Zinni, Tony Koltz

Narrator: Johnny Heller

Unabridged: 8 hr 25 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 10/13/2014


Synopsis

For the better part of the last half century, the United States has been the world's police, claiming to defend ideologies, allies, and our national security through brute force. But is military action always the most appropriate response? Drawing on his vast experience, retired four-star general Tony Zinni argues that we have a lot of work to do to make the process of going to war—or not—more clear-eyed and ultimately successful. He examines the relationship between the executive and the military; the challenges of working with the UN, coalition forces, and NATO; and the difficult choices that need to be made to create tomorrow's military. Among his provocative points:
Virtually every recent American military operation follows a disconnected series of actions that lead to outcomes we never foresaw or intended.

We need to assign accountability for the political decisions that can make or break a mission.

Words and ideas are as important to victory in today's conflicts as bullets.
From the Oval Office to the battlefield, Before the First Shots Are Fired is a hard-hitting analysis of the history of America's use of military action and a spirited call for change.

About Tony Zinni

General Tony Zinni (Ret.) was commander in chief of CENTCOM from 1997 to 2000, and Colin Powell's special envoy to the Middle East from November 2002 to March 2003. He has also led special missions to Turkey, Pakistan, Kenya, Russia, Yemen, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other nations-a role in which he continues to serve today. Among his many commands, he has served as head of the Special Operations and Terrorism Counteraction Section of the Marines; chief of staff of the Marine Air-Ground Training and Education Center at Quantico; deputy director of operations, U.S. European Command; director of operations, Somalia task force, 1992-1993; commander of the Combined Task Force protecting the withdrawal of UN forces from Somalia, 1993; and commanding general, 1 Marine Expeditionary Force. He lives in Williamsburg, Virginia.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Fredrick on June 03, 2018

Retired Marine General Zunni discusses the differences of military and civilian attitudes toward preparing and conducting wars as well as the "peace" that follows. In many cases the expectations of both groups change or are not throughly anticipated. A thoughtful read on the politics of confrontatio......more

Goodreads review by Barbara on September 07, 2014

You know that saying that, to a child with a hammer, all the world looks like a nail? General Tony Zinni, USArmy (Ret.) has convinced me that, to a man who’s spent his whole adult life in the military, all the world looks like a war — or something best solved by war. That’s a great disappointment. I......more

Goodreads review by Cheryl on November 30, 2014

While this book is not on WWII or focused on any other particular past war. I was interested in reading this book. I wanted to know how we as America could win or lose off the battlefield. Plus the author sounded like he had past experience and great knowledge about this subject matter. Which the au......more

Goodreads review by Daniel on January 28, 2019

An entertaining book where Zinni shares his thoughts and lessons learned from over 39 years of service. Zinni criticizes the lack of strategic understanding by policy makers on the appropriate use and employment of the military. Further, Zinni takes the time to critique how the U.S. went about the f......more

Goodreads review by R. on July 02, 2014

I'm obligated to preface this review as part of the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway rules by stating that I won this book through that program. I don't want anyone to think that that has influenced my review of this book though. I've given another book I won a 2 star rating in the past. A crappy book......more