
The Big Stick
The Limits of Soft Power and the Necessity of Military Force
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Narrated by:
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Bill Thatcher
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By:
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Eliot A. Cohen
"Speak softly and carry a big stick", Theodore Roosevelt famously said in 1901 when the United States was emerging as a great power. It was the right sentiment, perhaps, in an age of imperial rivalry. But today many Americans doubt the utility of their global military presence, thinking it outdated, unnecessary, or even dangerous.
In The Big Stick, Eliot A. Cohen - a scholar and practitioner of international relations - disagrees. He argues that hard power remains essential for American foreign policy. While acknowledging that the United States must be careful about why, when, and how it uses force, he insists that its international role is as critical as ever, and armed force is vital to that role. Cohen explains that American leaders must learn to use hard power in new ways and for new circumstances. The rise of a well-armed China, Russia's conquest of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran, and the spread of radical Islamist movements like ISIS are some of the key threats to global peace. If the United States relinquishes its position as a strong but prudent military power and fails to accept its role as the guardian of a stable world order, we run the risk of unleashing disorder, violence, and tyranny on a scale not seen since the 1930s. The United States is still, as Madeleine Albright once dubbed it, "the indispensable nation".
©2016 Eliot A. Cohen (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...




















Overall pretty good
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poignant analysis
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extremely interesting
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Turn off the news, listen to this
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dense writing and delivery made this a chore
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Power Is a Swiss Army Knife, Not A Hammer
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A well thought out, if imperfect, take on US foreign policy
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I'd relisten again for those segments alone.
~U.S. Strategic Analyst
Two miles wide, 4 inches deep
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Most of the information outlined here for the "analysis" is not anything new; they're simply regurgitated propaganda talking points you can find on any mainstream news outlet like Fox News & CNN. If anyone came here hoping to learn more about global Realpolitik and what it means for the regular citizens of this country, they would be sorely disappointed. Judging by some of the reviews though, the humdrum of the book is working wonders as intended.
Sorry, Mr. Cohen. We neither could not have won the Korean War nor could we have pushed back and fought the PLA in their own territories that border the Soviet Union, no matter how much you try to wave the wand for an alternate reality. Also, no. Clausewitz is not a superior military strategist than Sunzi.
Battle Hymn of A Jingoistic Neocon Still in 19thC.
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