[Gefreiter]

LS,
I am unfamiliar with this author and might be interested to read him.

Your point about free societies being able, through open inquiry and criticism, to improve their militaries is very interesting and worth deeper examination. Does Hanson take up this line of thought, or is it a dissertation waiting to happen?

[Rummyfan]

VD Hanson... writes regularly for National Review Online. Read his latest book CARNAGE AND CULTURE which specifically addresses the idea that it is the Western way that enables the Western military to be so succesful. It's a good read - focuses on individual battles from Alexander's Persian campaign to the 1968 Tet Offensive to demonstrate his point.

[Valin]

am unfamiliar with this author and might be interested to read him.

Carnage and Culture
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385500521/ref%3Dase%5Fnationalreviewon/107-3084988-5254918/nationalreviewon/104-5778082-8313555

Note this book is now out in paperback.

[LS]

No, that is Hanson's "bag." His book, "Carnage and Culture," emphasizes the "western way of war" that stresses: unit discipline, willingness to close with the enemy (vs. "hit and run"); fight to unconditional surrender (rather than to "save face" or for "honor"); individual soldiers' initiative; armies that have private property rights, civil rights, and religious toleration. The Muslim armies had few, if any, of these.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Your point about free societies being able, through open inquiry and criticism, to improve their militaries is very interesting and worth deeper examination. Does Hanson take up this line of thought, or is it a dissertation waiting to happen?

As a matter of fact, he wrote about Democracies At War around 4 weeks ago.  The article should be at NRO.