A superb, thoroughly researched, very instructive analysis of presidential decision making on the use of force in the post–Vietnam era by a true soldier-scholar—one that is deeply enriched by the author's personal experiences as part of the forces implementing the results of that decision making in Iraq and Afghanistan.
~General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), former CIA director
A deep, intellectual probe into the White House military decision making process in the wake of Vietnam and 9/11. Groves's analysis of the strategic thinking of Presidents [Bush,] Obama and Biden are particularly illuminating chapters. And Groves's theory of 'sunk cost traps' leadership is sobering. A must-read for anybody interested in how US foreign policy is made—which should be all of us.
~Douglas Brinkley, editor of The Reagan Diaries
Superbly written! Clear and compelling, Groves's account convincingly describes presidents' rationale for conflict decision-making, illustrating common themes among very different commanders in chief. His policy recommendations hit the mark, highlighting the strategic importance of policy adjustments and how to win wars again.
~General Barry McCaffrey, US Army (Ret.), MSNBC security expert and former SOUTHCOM commander
Bryan N. Groves takes on an ambitious task: comparing the impact of two historic inflection points on presidential decision-making, Vietnam and 9/11. The strategic lessons he draws are thought-provoking and should inform policymakers as they contend with the most recent tectonic shift in global affairs: the war in Ukraine.
~Lieutenant General Douglas Lute, US Army (Ret.) and former US ambassador to NATO
A masterpiece of presidential decision making! Groves peels back the veil that shrouds Oval Office decision-making during war time and major conflicts. Keen analysis, supported by those who helped make policy, reveals the rationale and connective tissue behind the decisions of commanders in chief since Vietnam.
~Admiral James G. Stavridis, US Navy (Ret.) and former NATO commander
All strategic thinkers know that history teaches lessons, but very few can discern those lessons in clear, compelling prose supported by extensive research. Groves has done just that. With a scholar's insight and a soldier's instinct, Groves identifies decisive factors behind five critical presidential wartime decisions to expand or contract military involvement.... A superb book for everyone studying and practicing national security.
~Brigadier General Michael Meese, US Army (Ret.) and former West Point social sciences department chair
Why do presidents choose to escalate or de-escalate ongoing military conflicts? In this important and carefully argued book, Groves highlights the role of salient historical analogies and how they shape the types of risks that capture leaders' attention. Comparing cases in the post-Vietnam and post-9/11 periods, Groves offers a compelling explanation for why Reagan and Clinton chose de-escalation while G. W. Bush and Obama chose escalation. A great example of interdisciplinary social science, this book will be of interest to scholars and practitioners alike.
~Christopher Johnston, coauthor of The Ambivalent Partisan: How Critical Loyalty Promotes Democracy
This is a thoughtful study of an under-studied aspect of war leadership: how leaders think through the pivot points they encounter once war has started. The book uses insights from behavioral economics and political psychology to shed light on the decision-making calculus—and it does so in a way that will ring true to the participants in war councils.
~Peter D. Feaver, author of Thanks for Your Service: The Causes and Consequences of Public Confidence in the US Military
Taking a multidisciplinary approach and drawing upon numerous interviews with senior policymakers present during moments of crisis, Groves provides an insightful and compelling answer to a question that has tormented US presidents for over half a century: whether to 'double down' or 'cut one's losses' when engaged in an open-ended conflict. A must-read for scholars and practitioners alike.
~Andrew F. Krepinevich Jr., founder and former director of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments and author of The Origins of Victory: How Disruptive Military Innovation Determines the Fates of Great Powers
A very important contribution to a vital subject of great value to both scholars and policy professionals. The product of extensive research, as well as the insights of someone who has both intensive academic training and wide-ranging policy experience.
~Bruce W. Jentleson, William Preston Few Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at Duke University
