Paying the Human Costs of War (ebook)

Argumento de Paying the Human Costs of War (ebook)

"Policy makers would be wise to heed the authors' findings regarding how to gain public trust and support when contemplating the future use of military power in achieving national objectives. For the citizenry, however, a warning also emerges: national leaders may attempt to keep a sinking policy ship afloat by remaining publically optimistic even when nothing can be done to save it."--Walter E. Kretchik, Military History

"[T]his is a well-thought-out, well-organized and well-written book. In particular, the concluding summaries at the end of each chapter provide excellent reviews and syntheses of the arguments. The authors have posed many questions that should open new horizons for scholars and policy makers."--Cigdem Pakel Atahan, Journal of American Studies of Turkey

One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2009

"Paying the Human Costs of War, an ambitious and provocative new book by three distinguished military commentators, takes on the conventional wisdom that Americans are skittish about casualty numbers, and argues instead that the American people have a much more sophisticated calculus about decisions associated with fighting and dying. A deeply important read for policymakers, military commanders, and the interested public alike."--Kurt M. Campbell, Center for a New American Security

"Gelpi, Feaver, and Reifler have written the most rigorous and thorough--yet also readable and accessible--study of Americans' stomach for war yet published. It is well grounded in Feaver's recent real-world political experience, though there is nothing partisan or self-serving about the book. The practical touch his experience provides is the perfect complement to the academic sophistication underlying the core of the authors' analysis. The new survey data, careful review of the existing literature, commonsense analysis of recent U.S. warfighting operations, and logical clarity of the authors' thinking make the book's main arguments very persuasive."--Michael O'Hanlon, Brookings Institution

"This is a superb, profound, and most timely study of wartime opinion. It offers a compelling antidote to the conventional wisdom that popular support for military missions inevitably collapses with rising casualties. The wide historical sweep along with rigorous statistical tests places this work in a class by itself."--Helmut Norpoth, Stony Brook University

"This book shows that although the U.S. public is sensitive to U.S. casualties suffered in war, the public is more sensitive to perceived defeat and will continue to support operations abroad as long as they are persuaded victory is still likely. The book's arguments are well presented and bolstered with an impressive array of first-rate empirical evidence."--Richard Herrmann, Ohio State University

"One measure of a book's quality is whether it generates questions for future research, and this one certainly fits the bill."--Jennifer L. Merolla, Perspectives on Politics

"Gelpi and Feaver, and Reifler have produced a most fascinating volume on the human costs of waging war. They set out to understand under what conditions Americans would support their leaders' decision to use military force. . . . Well researched and thoughtfully written."--Choice

"[T]he book is straightforward, well organized and a pleasure to read."--Thomas C. Shaw, American Review of Politics0LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS viii
LIST OF TABLES ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xiii
CHAPTER ONE: Theories of American Attitudes toward Warfare 1
CHAPTER TWO: America's Tolerance for Casualties, 1950-2006 23
CHAPTER THREE: Measuring Individual Attitudes toward Military Conflict 67
CHAPTER FOUR: Experimental Evidence on Attitudes toward Military Conflict 98
CHAPTER FIVE: Individual Attitudes toward the Iraq War, 2003-2004 125
CHAPTER SIX: Iraq the Vote: War and the Presidential Election of 2004 167
CHAPTER SEVEN: The Sources and Meaning of Success in Iraq 188
CHAPTER EIGHT: Conclusion 236
BIBLIOGRAPHY 265
INDEX 283