Rating: 
Summary: Superb Foreign Policy writing...
Review: The first (and I bet the most comprehensive) account of what really happened in the Balkans, Somalia and Haiti during the latter part of the Bush (the first) administration, the transitional period and on into the Clinton period. Halberstam continues to show that his strength is in National Security and Foriegn Policy writing and he doesn't disappoint in this book. We get to understand clearly what the issues were with regard to the U.S. policy in Europe at the end of the Bush term and how that administration stumbled in recognizing the impact that the escalating domestic violence in the Balkans would have. All the Bush State and NSC officials who dictated and administered foreign policy are described in hard-line, but fair terms (i.e. Halberstam doesn't hesitate to "blame" Larry Eagleburger for not recognizing the potential impact and pushing the Bush administration to take action before too late.) The Clinton transition and their staunch stand on domestic policy and how that hurt them is clear and concise and shows how that administration was doomed (from a Foreign Policy perspective) from the start. Weaknesses at State (W. Christopher), Defense (the incredibly weak Les Aspin term) and the NSC (the embattled Tony Lake) come to the forefront as the administration staggered out of the gate. Even the realization after the Bosnian episode that Milosovic would not stop his ethnic cleansing rampage isn't clearly evident to this besieged government...it took continued massacre in Kosovo to finally turn the tide. Halberstam is on top of all this and his weaving of the political issues at home with the continued stumbling in Europe (and Somalia and Haiti) is truly fascinating to read. Once the NATO air campaign started, it was intrieging to read who supported the policy and who didn't (i.e. Bill Cohen as Secretary of Defense always struck me as having hard-line, "hawkish" Republican tendancies, not the "dove-like" qualities that Halberstam describes him as having) and what political fallout could come from it. These inside revelations really sold this story to me, as these policies are still fresh on everyone's mind. The only critique I would mention (and it's very minor) is that the continued Iraq/ Middle East policies are barely mentioned (maybe Halberstam can use these to write a part two)and these should have definetly been considered when critiqing the administration's actions during this time. Overall, this is as clear and comprehensive a report on the Clinton Foreign Policy team that you'll find and I would recommend it highly.
Rating: 
Summary: The Tragedies of Bosnia and Kosovo
Review: David Halberstam has written another excellent book. Those who have read his earlier volumes such as "The Best and Brightest", "The Reckoning", and "The Fifties" will be at home with his extensive research and terrific insights. Those who don't like books that are extensively researched and exhaustively analyzed might prefer to read something else."War in a Time of Peace" is about the unpleasant subject of Bosnia and Kosovo. Halberstam reviews the personalities and the events. Two administrations dealt with these problems, that of George Bush Sr. and that of Bill Clinton. While both administrations had many capable people working for them, both made numerous mistakes in their handling of this problem. Halberstam does a good job of educating those who don't know exactly what was going on in this part of the world and why. Many Americans still don't understand what really happened in the Balkans. This book is a great way for them to inform themselves. Halberstam clearly believes that an initial show of force against Yugoslavian President Slobadan Milosevic could have stopped much of this tragedy. The failure to use force initially, despite widespread reports of genocide and killing, can best be explained as caution which resulted from the Vietnam experience. Often, military leaders were the most reluctant to support the use of force against Milosevic and the Serbs. At times, Halberstam overestimates the importance of the Balkans to the United States. Its a tragedy when you look at what has happened to the people who live there. But, a grim reality is that the American people--living many thousands of miles away--could not be expected to have more than minimal interest in this feud which has gone for centuries. Part of our unwillingness to become involved stemmed from the Vietnam Experience. The other part of it stemmed from the relative lack of importance the Balkans has to our foreign policy or economy. Be prepared for alot of background on the individual civilian and military leaders in place in both the Bush and Clinton Administrations. Its fascinating reading, but a little hard to keep one person straight from another at times. This is a highly informative and well written book.
Rating:
Summary: A behind the scenes look at foreign policy
Review: This book examines the foreign policy at the end of the Bush administration and through the Clinton years. The scope is actually wider because Halberstan places foreign policy decisions in the context of the domestic issues each administration was struggling with. Reading this book you feel like you are in the White House as decisions are made. You learn why various people were picked for jobs, why others were not. If you followed the events in Yugoslavia as they unfolded, the events will be familiar, but now you'll learn why they happened as they did, and what alternatives could have been chosen. Best of all, Halberstam knows how to write. The book tells a depressing tale, but you'll have trouble putting it down if you have any interest in foreign policy and politics.
Rating: 
Summary: Some good chapter, some bad
Review: I really wanted to like this book but kept thinking the author had lost sight of the real human story. By that I mean those soldiers and sailors at the ground level. The lowest level military person of real depth and insight concerned the Air Force Colonel responsible for the successful air doctrine during the Persian Gulf. Too much of the book seemed to focus on the "insider" knowledge of political/beltway ins and outs that pass for connections and insight. Too many times the author lamented the "what ifs" and lost potential of President Clinton. That may be true but the bottom line is nobody remembers Presidents who presided during times of peace and prosperity. Eisenhower, Harding, Taft, etc. are just a few. More important is what was not mentioned. No reference was either made, or drawn to connect any dots with the Bin Laden connection in Somalia, the first World Trade bomb attempt, the bombing of troops in Saudi Arabia (twice), the Embassy bombings in Africa, and finally, during the Clinton years, the attack on the USS Cole. Drawing these insights would have cemented the author's position as one with great foresight. As it is, he is just another well connected insider who missed the early signs of what is now one of our major issues. Perhaps the above is not a fair judgement. But many, most likely in the press, will start judging the intelligence services and the military for what they should have known. The author, as one of the foremost in the field, is part of that company. He too focused on what he knew best and thought was the real story. By doing that he failed to miss the signs of the pending threats, that with hindsight, many will say were all too obvious. While this book has much that is good background material the final conclusion is that it is lacking. This book will be better served as a second edition that connects the dots and tapping whatever evidence surfaces about what Clinton knew concerning terrorist and when. In hindsight it seems those were difficult issues that were avoided and then finally culminated with 9/11.
Rating:
Summary: Please send the editor.
Review: I bought this book with high hopes, but couldn't finish it because of the sloppy style. Where went the editor? Is this the first draft? The material is so important that it is unfortunate the writing style made the book unreadable for me. I actually know Mr. Halberstam as a neighbor on Manhattan's Upper West Side, and I have been impressed by his nuanced commentary on the TV concerning America's recent troubles, so it pains me that I cannot recommend this book. The disappointing reality is that this project seems like an unedited first draft. What should have been an important work of politcial world history is simply unreadable.
Rating:
Summary: What a Book!
Review: Halberstam has done it again. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in the current problem with terrorists after the strikes at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Halberstram deals with the mistakes Bush the First and Clinton made in dealing with Yugoslavia. I just hope all the folks dealing with the current crisis read this book before making decisions. Judging from the way they are handling the situation, whether they did or not, they appear to have learned from the mistakes of Bosnia & Kosovo. Halberstam is a fluid writer and makes the subject of foreign policy--which can be very dry--come alive. I read this one in 3 days.
Rating:
Summary: Starts great then author¿s bias ruins book
Review: Reading the first one hundred and fifty pages of this book provided me with a sensation I have not had during my entire adult life. The author, who I unwittingly believed to be an impartial journalist, convinced me that some politicians, particularly those holding the job of President of the United States, where in fact principled men seeking to do something for our country! He did this by a carefully detailing all of the conflicting foreign relation policies facing a president and pointing out how honest mistakes had been made - mistakes I could certainly understand. I also felt I was getting an impartial detailed understanding of our foreign relations during this time period. I went to sleep after reading the first part of the book feeling, for the first time in my life, true admiration for the men who had served in this office. It was a great feeling! Unfortunately, as I continued the reading the book the author's extreme prejudice against the democratic party reared its ugly head and utterly destroyed the author's credibility - all of the republicans were honorable men and all of the democrats were bumbling charlatans. Now, due to the lack of integrity of yet another journalist, I find myself back in the position of not knowing what to believe is true about our politicians and our foreign relations policies. O Well, I enjoyed one night in the land of Oz believing in honest politicians and fair impartial journalists. I give the book 2 stars for one night of blissful delusions .
Rating:
Summary: Can you imagine...
Review: I have long been a fan of David Halberstam's work since reading his book The Best and the Brightest when I was in the Army. I was excited about this new release and ordered it prior to the tragic events of September 11. After reading the book, it not only reinforced my belief that Halberstam is one of our finest historians, but made me shudder to think about the current situation in our country with the same cast of characters in place. I believe that anyone reading the book should be greatly reassured that the current administration has the requisite talent in place (Bush, Cheney, Powell, Rumsfield, Rice and others) so that when Mr. Halberstam writes the sequel, the great confidence we have in the leaders of our country will be more than justified. God Bless America!!
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Timing; Incredible Content.
Review: First, Dave Halberstam is a very talented storyteller. Even as non-fiction has a tendency to drone, Halberstam makes reading non-fiction fun, brings it to life. Previously, Halberstam was honored with the Pulitzer Prize for reporting the events as they transpired in Vietnam. He then went on to a national best-seller with "The Best and the Brightest," an expose of sorts on the men behind the Vietnam War along with an insightful analysis of their plans, schemes and decisions. "War in a Time of Peace" follows in the footsteps of these achievements. In "War in a Time of Peace," Halberstam examines U.S. foreign policy in the post-cold war world. The book throws the reader into the Gulf War time frame and jumps into the incessant yet poignant problems facing the U.S. in a slew of third world countries. In only the way Halberstam can, he relates the story behind the media proclamations showing how events in the Balkans, Somalia, and Haiti reflect American politics and foreign policy. An incredibly timely and piercing book, "War in a Time of Peace" features important and insightful thumbnail sketches of key political figures including Bill Clinton, George H. Bush, Dick Cheney and many others. Unlike other authors however, Halberstam leads us into the interaction between the powers, the brains behind the power and ostensibly, the true skinny behind the scenes. A must read in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: The Best and the Brightest of Today's Leadership Generation
Review: As an author with my debut novel in its initial release, I have always admired journalist David Halberstam's contemporary histories. In WAR IN A TIME OF PEACE, Mr. Halberstam examines the past decade or so of American history and its reluctant national participation in world affairs. As always, his observations are astute and insightful. Opening with the Gulf War, the book discusses how our country genuinely wanted to focus on domestic issues, not international problems. Mr. Halberstam presents his take on various American military adventures in such places as Somalia, Haiti, and the Balkans. He also sketches portraits of this generation of national leadership including Bush the First, Clinton, Powell, Albright, and Gore. WAR IN A TIME OF PEACE is an important book and should be a must-read for anoyne who desires to be a well-informed citizen.
| 
