davidbfpo
06-05-2016, 05:13 PM
British retired General Sir Richard Shirreff, an ex-Deputy SACEUR, has taken up the pen and has caused a stir with his book, '2017:War With Russia'.
Mixed UK reviews:https://www.amazon.co.uk/2017-War-Russia-warning-military/dp/1473632226/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465146466&sr=1-1&keywords=richard+shirreff
It appears Amazon.com has used some of the UK reviews:https://www.amazon.co.uk/2017-War-Russia-warning-military/dp/1473632226/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465146665&sr=1-1&keywords=richard+shirreff
The book sets up a doomsday scenario in which, to avoid encirclement by NATO, Russia seizes territory in Eastern Ukraine so as to open up a land corridor to Crimea. It then invades the Baltic states, triggering a war with the West in 2017. Almost sounds familiar.:wry:
I doubt this passage in the preface has endeared him to UK officialdom:
A country famous for once ‘walking softly and carrying a big stick’… now had a leadership that shouted loudly but, thanks to ongoing defence cuts, carried an increasingly tiny and impotent stick.Link:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/nato-risks-nuclear-war-with-russia-within-a-year-senior-general-warns-a7035141.html
An academic reviewer writes:
It is fiction of the Tom Clancy variety: a thriller with a warning, informed by intimate inside knowledge.Link:https://theconversation.com/we-need-to-listen-to-our-military-experts-and-that-includes-retired-generals-60259? (https://theconversation.com/we-need-to-listen-to-our-military-experts-and-that-includes-retired-generals-60259?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20 for%20June%202%202016%20-%204969&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20f or%20June%202%202016%20-%204969+CID_8844ceef4e6332436bc8c8a91ce5916c&utm_source=campaign_monitor_uk&utm_term=We%20need%20to%20listen%20to%20our%20mili tary%20experts%20%20and%20that%20includes%20retire d%20generals)
Another academic writes:
The Atlantic security community is in danger of sleepwalking into war. The very talk of such a conflict “normalises” the possibility.Link:https://theconversation.com/west-could-sleepwalk-into-a-doomsday-war-with-russia-its-time-to-wake-up-59936
A less hostile, but critical reviewer:
Shirreff’s book, however, is a far more overtly political piece, and is deeply critical of the West’s reduced defence spending and its unwillingness – and inability – to stand up to the Russian threat. At first sight, this appears a persuasive case, but on reflection is perhaps slightly less so.Link:https://theconversation.com/could-nato-go-to-war-with-russia-and-what-would-happen-if-it-did-59694
Personally I will not be purchasing the book.
Mixed UK reviews:https://www.amazon.co.uk/2017-War-Russia-warning-military/dp/1473632226/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465146466&sr=1-1&keywords=richard+shirreff
It appears Amazon.com has used some of the UK reviews:https://www.amazon.co.uk/2017-War-Russia-warning-military/dp/1473632226/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465146665&sr=1-1&keywords=richard+shirreff
The book sets up a doomsday scenario in which, to avoid encirclement by NATO, Russia seizes territory in Eastern Ukraine so as to open up a land corridor to Crimea. It then invades the Baltic states, triggering a war with the West in 2017. Almost sounds familiar.:wry:
I doubt this passage in the preface has endeared him to UK officialdom:
A country famous for once ‘walking softly and carrying a big stick’… now had a leadership that shouted loudly but, thanks to ongoing defence cuts, carried an increasingly tiny and impotent stick.Link:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/nato-risks-nuclear-war-with-russia-within-a-year-senior-general-warns-a7035141.html
An academic reviewer writes:
It is fiction of the Tom Clancy variety: a thriller with a warning, informed by intimate inside knowledge.Link:https://theconversation.com/we-need-to-listen-to-our-military-experts-and-that-includes-retired-generals-60259? (https://theconversation.com/we-need-to-listen-to-our-military-experts-and-that-includes-retired-generals-60259?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20 for%20June%202%202016%20-%204969&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20f or%20June%202%202016%20-%204969+CID_8844ceef4e6332436bc8c8a91ce5916c&utm_source=campaign_monitor_uk&utm_term=We%20need%20to%20listen%20to%20our%20mili tary%20experts%20%20and%20that%20includes%20retire d%20generals)
Another academic writes:
The Atlantic security community is in danger of sleepwalking into war. The very talk of such a conflict “normalises” the possibility.Link:https://theconversation.com/west-could-sleepwalk-into-a-doomsday-war-with-russia-its-time-to-wake-up-59936
A less hostile, but critical reviewer:
Shirreff’s book, however, is a far more overtly political piece, and is deeply critical of the West’s reduced defence spending and its unwillingness – and inability – to stand up to the Russian threat. At first sight, this appears a persuasive case, but on reflection is perhaps slightly less so.Link:https://theconversation.com/could-nato-go-to-war-with-russia-and-what-would-happen-if-it-did-59694
Personally I will not be purchasing the book.