Description
Why did Britain go to war in Iraq in 2003? Existing accounts stress dodgy dossiers, intelligence failures, and the flaws of individual leaders. Deploying the large number of primary documents now available, this book puts ideas at the centre of the story. As the book argues, Britain's war in Iraq was caused by bad ideas that were dogmatically held and widely accepted. Three ideas in particular formed the war's intellectual foundations: the notion of the undeterrable, fanatical rogue state; the vision that the West's path to security is to break and remake states; and the conceit that by paying the 'blood price', Britain could secure influence in Washington DC. These issues matter, because although the Iraq War happened fifteen years ago, it is still with us. As well as its severe consequences for regional and international security, the ideas that powered the war persist in Western security debate. If all wars are fought twice, first on the battlefield and the second time in memory, this book enters the battle over what Iraq means now, and what we should learn.
Shortlisted for the British Army Military Book of the Year, 2019
About the Author
Patrick Porter is Professor of International Security and Strategy at the University of Birmingham. He is Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). His main research interests are U.S. and British grand strategy, the interaction of power and ideas in international relations, and diplomatic and military history. He has published in International Security, War in History and The Journal of Strategic Studies. He grew up in Melbourne, Australia, before completing his doctorate at the University of Oxford. He enjoys ancient history, cricket and cigars.
Reviews
Blunder is an important book and a must-read for those looking for a meticulous and fair-minded account of the most controversial strategic decision of the post-9/11 period. * Michael McInerney, H-War, H-Net Reviews *
One of the best books of the year * Professor Stephen M. Walt, Harvard Kennedy School *
Blunder concludes that bad ideas, sincerely and widely held, bear primary responsibility for what went wrong. This is now fifteen year old history and rarely receives a mention but is important for decision makers today. * Keith Simpson MP's Christmas Reading List 2018 *
A wide-ranging study of Britain's decision to go to war in Iraq and the unintended consequences. * Garry Woodward, The Interpreter *
Well-researched, elegant and succinctly written. * Sholto Byrnes, The National (UAE) *
Breath-taking and ground-breaking. * Lieutenant Colonel James Chandler, British Army Review *
Blunder is to be commended. Porter has meticulously constructed a rigorous interrogation of Britain's intellectual path to the Iraq War. The history of the Iraq War will continue to be written as additional information becomes available and as its consequences are fully explicated. But Blunder is an important waystation along that path, one readers will want to return to repeatedly. * Mike Sweeney, Modern War Institute at West Point *
A brilliant discussion of Britain's road to war. Concise but elegant and full of great insight. Porter doesnt traffic in conspiracies but rather explains how Britain's commitment to the Iraq war issued from bad or exaggerated ideas, starting with liberal interventionist commitments to ideas like overturning rogue regimes. Engaging, insightful, essential to understand future foreign policy choices. * Mike Mazarr, senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, and author of Leap of Faith *
A great achievement. * Sam Roggeveen, Director, International Security Program at the Lowy Institute *
In the welter of critiques of Tony Blair's leading the UK into the war in Iraq, Patrick Porter's stands out for its honesty, deep research, and conclusion that bad ideas, sincerely and widely held, bear primary responsibility. The beliefs that regime change was a moral imperative and required for world security and also that a better government could be readily established produced a combination of fear and confidence that proved lethal. * Robert Jervis, Author of How Statesmen Think *
Patrick Porter's important book identifies and anatomizes the remarkable stew of ideology and fear that drove the United Kingdom to join the United States in invading and occupying Iraq in 2003. The book is a passionate, indeed a morally based cry for greater consideration of the possibility that bad outcomes can and often do grow from good intentions. In Blunder: Britains War in Iraq, Porter focuses on British elites decision for war. He dissects the muddled thinking of supporters of the war and presents a persuasive counterfactual argument for the lesser evil of leaving Saddam Hussein in power. At the heart of his story is the belligerent liberalism that joins so-called neocons and progressives in the belief that democracy grows from the barrel of a gun. Porter also wisely identifies the UK's concern to retain some influence with the last superpower. * Jacqueline L. Hazelton, Assistant Professor, Department of Strategy and Policy, Naval War College *
Blunder offers by far the best account of the most complex and contentious strategic decisions of our time, providing a vital textbook for future decision makers. It is deeply researched, theoretically nuanced, morally engaged, and scrupulously fair. A model of how scholarship can contribute vitally to urgent contemporary questions. * Hugh White, Professor of Strategic Studies, Australian National University *
Book Information
ISBN 9780198807964
Author Patrick Porter
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 1g
Dimensions(mm) 241mm * 164mm * 21mm
Shortlisted for the British Army Military Book of the Year, 2019
About the Author
Patrick Porter is Professor of International Security and Strategy at the University of Birmingham. He is Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). His main research interests are U.S. and British grand strategy, the interaction of power and ideas in international relations, and diplomatic and military history. He has published in International Security, War in History and The Journal of Strategic Studies. He grew up in Melbourne, Australia, before completing his doctorate at the University of Oxford. He enjoys ancient history, cricket and cigars.
Reviews
Blunder is an important book and a must-read for those looking for a meticulous and fair-minded account of the most controversial strategic decision of the post-9/11 period. * Michael McInerney, H-War, H-Net Reviews *
One of the best books of the year * Professor Stephen M. Walt, Harvard Kennedy School *
Blunder concludes that bad ideas, sincerely and widely held, bear primary responsibility for what went wrong. This is now fifteen year old history and rarely receives a mention but is important for decision makers today. * Keith Simpson MP's Christmas Reading List 2018 *
A wide-ranging study of Britain's decision to go to war in Iraq and the unintended consequences. * Garry Woodward, The Interpreter *
Well-researched, elegant and succinctly written. * Sholto Byrnes, The National (UAE) *
Breath-taking and ground-breaking. * Lieutenant Colonel James Chandler, British Army Review *
Blunder is to be commended. Porter has meticulously constructed a rigorous interrogation of Britain's intellectual path to the Iraq War. The history of the Iraq War will continue to be written as additional information becomes available and as its consequences are fully explicated. But Blunder is an important waystation along that path, one readers will want to return to repeatedly. * Mike Sweeney, Modern War Institute at West Point *
A brilliant discussion of Britain's road to war. Concise but elegant and full of great insight. Porter doesnt traffic in conspiracies but rather explains how Britain's commitment to the Iraq war issued from bad or exaggerated ideas, starting with liberal interventionist commitments to ideas like overturning rogue regimes. Engaging, insightful, essential to understand future foreign policy choices. * Mike Mazarr, senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, and author of Leap of Faith *
A great achievement. * Sam Roggeveen, Director, International Security Program at the Lowy Institute *
In the welter of critiques of Tony Blair's leading the UK into the war in Iraq, Patrick Porter's stands out for its honesty, deep research, and conclusion that bad ideas, sincerely and widely held, bear primary responsibility. The beliefs that regime change was a moral imperative and required for world security and also that a better government could be readily established produced a combination of fear and confidence that proved lethal. * Robert Jervis, Author of How Statesmen Think *
Patrick Porter's important book identifies and anatomizes the remarkable stew of ideology and fear that drove the United Kingdom to join the United States in invading and occupying Iraq in 2003. The book is a passionate, indeed a morally based cry for greater consideration of the possibility that bad outcomes can and often do grow from good intentions. In Blunder: Britains War in Iraq, Porter focuses on British elites decision for war. He dissects the muddled thinking of supporters of the war and presents a persuasive counterfactual argument for the lesser evil of leaving Saddam Hussein in power. At the heart of his story is the belligerent liberalism that joins so-called neocons and progressives in the belief that democracy grows from the barrel of a gun. Porter also wisely identifies the UK's concern to retain some influence with the last superpower. * Jacqueline L. Hazelton, Assistant Professor, Department of Strategy and Policy, Naval War College *
Blunder offers by far the best account of the most complex and contentious strategic decisions of our time, providing a vital textbook for future decision makers. It is deeply researched, theoretically nuanced, morally engaged, and scrupulously fair. A model of how scholarship can contribute vitally to urgent contemporary questions. * Hugh White, Professor of Strategic Studies, Australian National University *
Book Information
ISBN 9780198807964
Author Patrick Porter
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 1g
Dimensions(mm) 241mm * 164mm * 21mm
