Lifting the Fog of War - Hardcover

Owens, William A.; Offley, Edward

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374186278 ISBN 13: 9780374186272

Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2000

Synopsis

A former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff presents an indepth analysis of the future of the military, discussing the technologically advanced weaponry that has changed the nature of war and advocating a satellite surveillance network.

About this title

Review:

In his classic book On War, Carl von Clausewitz famously wrote: "War is the realm of uncertainty; three-quarters of the factors on which action is based are wrapped in a fog of greater or lesser uncertainty." Ever since, "the fog of war" has been a standard concept in military theory. But now, says Admiral William A.Owens, the time has come to lift that fog with technology currently in development. Such technology may soon "revolutionise the way we conduct military operations," writes the author, who is the former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (America's second-highest-ranking officer) and now heads Teledesic. "In a future conflict," writes Owens,

an Army corps commander in his field headquarters will have instant access to a live, three-dimensional image of the entire battlefield displayed on a computer screen, an image generated by a network of sensors, unmanned aerial vehicles, reconnaissance aircraft, and special operations soldiers on the ground. The commander will know the precise location and activity of enemy units--even those attempting to cloak their movements by operating at night, in poor weather, or hiding behind mountains or under trees

. Yet Lifting the Fog of War is not merely high-tech happy talk. Owens is deeply concerned about US military readiness: "The military as we know it is in trouble," he writes. "The impending collapse of our military capability in the oncoming 'defence train wreck' must occupy centre stage in the 2000 presidential election". This book is at once an engaging review of recent military history, a gripping vision of what may come, and a compelling call to arms. --John J.Miller, Amazon.com

Review:

Makes a brisk and convincing case for... radical reform.

(Michael Ignatieff New York Review of Books)

An insightful, must-read book for those who care about the future of the U.S. military.

(Michael Hughes Proceedings)

Could well serve as a focal point in future discussions of U.S. security policies.

(Publishers Weekly)

Owens skillfully portrays the state of America's military and offers concrete steps to solve its problems.

(Maj Robert P. Mooney, Jr. Military Review 1900-01-00)

About this edition

• Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0374186278
• ISBN 13: 9780374186272
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 280