American Soldier : TENTATIVE ON-SALE DATE

Rating:
Summary: An In Depth Look Behind the Scenes of War
Review: Tommy Franks is surely one to trust when reading about the War on Terror. Being the Commander of CENTCOM and a 4 Star General who served in the Vietnam War, his book depicts the reality of both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. He not only gives you everything you need to know about the stratagies of the military and the Bush administration, but Franks brings you back stage and shows how inaccurate the media can sometimes be in relaying stories to the public and some of the things you may not have known about the people beside him during the war. He also throws a few punches at some of his advisors.

"American Soldier" has the potential to change people's minds about how credible the Iraq war is. It clearly made me more of a believer in the war as a justified one. Tommy Franks gives overwhelming detail on the fact that Saddam Hussien was like a bomb ready to explode. All of the weapons of mass destruction pieces were there, they just were not fully ready to be used. He also provides much information on the war in Iraq being part of the War on Terror, for those who do not believe it is. This is a shaky issue for most and Franks nails it. He was behind the scenes, we were not.

From growing up in his early childhood to his military retirement, this book is sure to capture the hearts and minds of those interested in today's events. Yes, there is a lot of military "talk" through the pages but Franks certainly gives us many facts that the media never gave. This was not an easy read for me due to all of the details, but it clearly gave me a lot more knowledge of the past and present in the War on Terror. Tommy Franks is a true American Soldier.

Rating:
Summary: American Soldier
Review: A fantastic book, it reinforces the fact that the war in Iraq was justified. Very well written and made me proud to be an American. I plan to buy a copy for our son, who has fought in all 3 wars as a United States Marine. This would be excellent reading for all students in high school. Great history book.

Rating:
Summary: Four Star General with a two star rating
Review: For the first third of the book I thought I was going to enjoy a first rate autobiography of a top military figure. But, beyond the first 200 pages the book start to languish. Suddenly you realize that this book is more about propaganda supporting the Bush administration's decision to invade Iraq than it is about a military career. Over and over again General Tommy tells the reader that George and Don can do no wrong. He also informs us of his battle strategy using small forces that move quickly to win the war. But, lo and behold, the general up and retires before the war is won. No explanation why he decides to retire when he hasn't even yet reached 60 years old. This book just left me empty. I would not recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Incompetent
Review: Franks is an incompetent political hack. He parrots the Bush line with total disregard for the lives and welfare of his troops. How is it that he was so short sighted to think they could start pulling troops out of Iraq right after the invasion? How is it that he was able to retire when his men are all on stop loss? Then when his mean are dying in Iraq he travels around during the Bush campaign promoting another incompetent hack like himself. This is the kind of General the Bush administration likes. Say what we want you to say and think of yourself first just like we do.

Rating:
Summary: Good read.
Review: General Franks is a hero. It's one of those 'can't put down books' that you need to read. It does have a few swear words that would be harsh for young readers to handle but, hey, it's a book about a military guy, that's been there for 30 years or more and so what do you expect.

Some of my favorite parts of the book is when he talks about his father and what a pillar of strength he was in his life. We would do well to learn from our fathers like that and to be fathers like that. True values that endure.

Also, some of the intense battles that General Franks was in as a Viet Nam vet were just like being there. War is hell and he survived it well. He was wounded and kept going back in there. The epitome of a soldier.

Rating:
Summary: A fine character sketch and military history
Review: I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this biography. It was thankfully free of common errors often overlooked in the haste to release a biography quickly. It also offers, contrary to the words of some reviewers, some reflections on lessons learned from various experiences (especially in the last chapter of the book) and a few critiques of the president, Mr. Bremer, and the secretary of defense.

I'll remember most the passage where early in the war in Afghanistan, Franks had the ability to confront Rumsfeld on his second-guessing and thereby earn the secretary's respect. The biography offers a look at Franks' effective sense of humor in the midst of stress, such as during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

One of the most important themes in the book is "jointness," that is, the ability for each of the branches of the military to work together effectively during combat operations. It is clear when one reads Franks' critique of Operation Desert Storm that maneuver and surprise were effectively employed, but that jointless was lacking, as evidenced by the split between ground and air operations. As a contrast, Franks takes the lessons learned from that conflict as a brigadier general, as well as the operations in Afghanistan, to employ an incredible degree of jointness in the Iraq war.

I think the biggest surprise was Franks' lack of foresight regarding insurgency from former Baathists as well as foreign jihadists. He made no mention of planning for such a contigency during his months of preparation for what he called Phase IV (postwar stability/policing and reconstruction).

This book provides some details on some air and special operations that were previously unavailable to the public. Finally, the book offers a contrast to the negative view of the war in Iraq offered by the likes of Michael Scheuer, author of Imperial Hubris.



Rating:
Summary: Utter Disappointment
Review: If one has read Norman Schwarzkopf's book, or Colin Powell's, this one is a complete disappointment!
Mr. Franks never reflects on anything: Instead of discussing whether it was right or wrong to be in Vietnam, he describes how to build effective "bombs" from handgranades to be dropped on the Viet Cong.
The torture incidents alledgedly commited by US soldiers is worth to him one line in a book of over 550 pages.
He is completely non-critical of President Bush and of "SecDef" Don Rumsfeld, both of whom seem unfaillable to him.

I was hoping for some critical insights into Afganistan & Iray, instead, all one gets is how great and wonderful everybody (except the enemy, of course) is; and of course one learns the Army Language, which seems to consist mostly of acronyms and the f - word.

The book is not bad, it is worse: A waste of time!


Rating:
Summary: An American Hero we should be proud of.
Review: It takes a special man to live the life the military requires. Not only is his a sacrifice but his family must pay the price along with him. America's pride is in men like Tommy Franks. When the cards are down they are the one's that stand up. The love of country and family is shown throughout the book. Never once was their a complaint of duty. His love for his troops was clearly explained. He is a hero, as elders we can only hope America will continue to produce men that feel as he, in my heart I beleive we will. God Bless America.

Rating:
Summary: An important historical book, but needs to go farther.
Review: This book is undoubtedly an excellent reference for future researchers on the Iraq War. Tommy Franks biography is excellent reading. However, my interest in reading this book was not fully addressed.

I see the U.S. armed forced once again being put in the same role they had in Vietnam. There are no front lines, and this is a war of ambush for political goals. Franks left Iraq before the qaugmire set in. My hope is for the people with the most credibility to speak out for the sake of the military they love. We have a volunteer army running out of volunteers. The reserve system is at a breaking point. Many military professionals are alienated in being involved in a new Vietnam type situation after decades of protesting this exact scenario.

Franks victory was attributed to a strategy of a smaller and quicker military. The same strategy does not work after the war. Troops are now involved in a non conventional war of ambush with no front lines. If they meet suspicious Iraqis and don't pull the trigger, they get killed. If they pull the trigger and "friendlies" are killed, we are the invading infidels. Recruitment for terrorists gets a boost. We need to have enough troops in Iraq to crush insurgency. Our current numbers are enough to be on the defensive and pick up the pieces after ambushes.

Franks should know how it feels to be a soldier when the bullets and bombs fly. I respect that. However, our soldiers need a strong advocate to get us out of the Iraqi quagmire. Watching your buddies get ambushed and killed with no option for real payback is the source of primal frustration as much in Iraq as it was in Vietnam. Then troops are involved in atrocities against Iraqis. The next step in this downward spiral is the world press doing a feeding frenzy with the atrocity stories. This type of presence in Iraq reinforces the terrorist's appeal to Iraqis. Franks needs to go far enough to save lives of our soldiers in the current situation, even if it means criticizing the policies putting them at so much risk.

Osama Bin Laden is still out there and we are off target. Will it take another 9/11 for the Bush-Cheney administration to disengage our resources from Iraq and actually defend American soil from attack. Franks eludes to this threat but does not go far enough to address this at the administration.

Rating:
Summary: An Amazing and Revealing Book...
Review: This is a book that should be read by all Americans for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, it is a great story of a great man's life. It is hard to find a man today who is deserving of more admiration and respect than Tommy Franks. He is the ideal of patriotism and loyalty, a strong and compassionate leader, a dedicated family man, and he has changed forever the way wars and battles will be fought. This book covers his entire life from childhood to the war in Iraq and the reader is able to understand how this man was formed by so many inspiring people. In addition to the great story of his life, people need to read this book because it offers a realistic insight into Iraq and Afghanistan. You are given vivid accounts of how harsh some fighting was when the media made it look "quick and easy", and you also get facts and figures on how far Iraq has progressed. Franks has tough words for the media and their protrayal of the situation, stating that they report on Iraw as being in distress when, in fact, employment, oil production, education, medical care, and infrastructure effeciency are already at 30 years highs. He offers a bottom-line analysis of the "insurgents" and their motives, while offering his view on how to prevent these problems in the future. Tommy Franks does not portray everything through rose colored glasses....he admits decisions he would like to change, he expresses shame and disappointment over certain events, and when he does not have an answer he is quite sincere in explaining his feelings. For example, he recalls his conversation with Rumsfeld when he suggested that President Bush land on the aircraft carrier with a "Mission Accomplished" banner. He knew the war was far from over, but wanted the President to publicly acknowledge the success they had in toppling Hussein's regime. He admits that if he could have seen the criticism Bush would take for his suggestion, he would have come up with a different idea. That is a small example of the candid view he gives you into his life. his thinking, and his career. Despite his few regrets and disappointments, however, he relates many more stories of good will, kindness, and hard work. He has a true love for his country and the military he served, he sincerely cares for the well being of every soldier in the field, and he has produced a book that offers a deep and realistic view into his life and the conflicts we face today. Do yourself a favor and read this book....