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The author asserts here that presidents and administrations have consistently failed to use sound strategic thinking and lacked sufficient understanding of the circumstances prior to deciding whether or not to employ force. He analyses the records of presidents from John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama and Donald Trump in using force or starting wars. His recommended solutions begin with a 'brains-based' approach to sound strategic thinking to address one of the major causes of failure - the inexperience of too many of the nation's commanders-in-chief. The author reinforces his argument through the use of autobiographical vignettes that provide a human dimension and insight into the reasons for failure, in some cases making public previously unknown history.

USA--MILITARY POLICY--DECISION MAKING --- USA--NATIONAL SECURITY--DECISION MAKING --- USA--HISTORY, MILITARY

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Why do presidents and their advisors often make sub-optimal decisions on military intervention, escalation, de-escalation, and termination of conflicts ? The leading concept of group dynamics, Groupthink, offers one explanation : policy-making groups make sub-optimal decisions due to their desire for conformity and uniformity over dissent, leading to a failure to consider other relevant possibilities. But presidential advisory groups are often fragmented and divisive. This book therefore scrutinizes Polythink, a group decision-making dynamic whereby different members in a decision-making unit espouse a plurality of opinions and divergent policy prescriptions, resulting in a disjointed decision-making process or even decision paralysis. The book analyzes eleven national security decisions, including the national security policy designed prior to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the decisions to enter into and withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq, the 2007 'Surge', the crisis over the Iranian nuclear program, the UN Security Council decision on the Syrian Civil War, the faltering Kerry Peace process in the Middle East, and the U.S. decision on military operations against ISIS. Based on the analysis of these case studies, the authors address implications of the Polythink phenomenon, including prescriptions for avoiding and/or overcoming it, and develop strategies and tools for what they call Productive Polythink. The authors also show the applicability of Polythink to business, industry, and everyday decisions.

USA--FOREIGN RELATIONS--DECISION MAKING --- USA--NATIONAL SECURITY--DECISION MAKING --- National security --- Group decision making --- Decision making --- United States --- Foreign relations

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'War and Chance' analyzes the logic, psychology, and politics of assessing uncertainty in international affairs. It explains how the most important kinds of uncertainty in international politics are inherently subjective, and yet how scholars, practitioners, and pundits can still debate these issues in clear and structured ways. Altogether, the text shows how foreign policy analysts can assess uncertainty in a manner that is theoretically coherent, empirically meaningful, politically defensible, practically useful, and sometimes logically necessary for making sound choices. Each of these claims contradicts widespread skepticism about the value of probabilistic reasoning in international politics, and shows how placing greater emphasis on assessing uncertainty can improve nearly any kind of foreign policy analysis or decision.

International relations --- National security --- Uncertainty --- Decision making. --- Political aspects. --- Political aspects --- United States --- Foreign relations --- Reasoning --- National security policy --- NSP (National security policy) --- Security policy, National --- Economic policy --- Military policy --- Government policy --- U.S.A. --- Jungtinės Amerikos valstybės --- Soedinennye Shtaty Si︠e︡vernoĭ Ameriki --- Soedinennye Shtaty Severnoĭ Ameriki --- Si︠e︡vero-Amerikanskīe Soedinennye Shtaty --- Severo-Amerikanskie Soedinennye Shtaty --- Zlucheni Derz︠h︡avy --- USA --- US --- Arhab --- Ar. ha-B. --- Artsot ha-Berit --- ولايات المتحدة الامريكية --- Wilāyāt al-Muttaḥidah al-Amirīkīyah --- ABSh --- Amerika Birlăshmish Shtatlary --- ABŞ --- Amerika Birlăşmi Ştatları --- Forente stater --- Spojené staty americké --- Severo-Amerikanskie Shtaty --- Sjedinjene Američke Države --- Zʹi︠e︡dnani Derz︠h︡avy Ameryky --- Amerikai Egyesült Államok --- Yhdysvallat --- Verenigde Staten --- Egyesült Államok --- Hiwsisayin Amerikayi Miatsʻeal Tērutʻiwnkʻ --- Estados Unidos de América --- United States of America --- Fareyniḳṭe Shṭaṭn --- Artzois Ha'bris --- Estados Unidos da América do Norte --- SShA --- Soedinennye Shtaty Ameriki --- VSA --- États-Unis d'Amérique --- Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika --- Stati Uniti d'America --- Estados Unidos --- EE.UU. --- Stany Zjednoczone --- ĒPA --- Amerika Qūrama Shtattary --- Amerika Qŭshma Shtatlari --- SAD --- Saharat ʻAmērikā --- Hēnomenai Politeiai Amerikēs --- ZSA --- Mei-kuo --- Meiguo --- Mei guo --- ZDA --- Združene države Amerike --- U.S. --- America (Republic) --- Amirika Carékat --- Verenigde State van Amerika --- VS --- ولايات المتحدة --- Wilāyāt al-Muttaḥidah --- ولايات المتّحدة الأمريكيّة --- Wilāyāt al-Muttaḥidah al-Amrīkīyah --- Estatos Unitos --- Estatos Unitos d'America --- Ètats-Unis d'Amèrica --- Estaos Xuníos d'América --- Estaos Xuníos --- Tetã peteĩ reko Amérikagua --- Istadus Unidus --- Amerika Birlăşmiş Ştatları --- Amerika ka Kelenyalen Jamanaw --- Bí-kok --- Amerika Qushma Shtattary --- AQSh --- Злучаныя Штаты Амерыкі --- Zluchanyi︠a︡ Shtaty Ameryki --- Yunaeted Stet blong Amerika --- Yunaeted Stet --- Vaeinigte Staatn --- Vaeinigte Staatn vo Amerika --- Stadoù-Unanet Amerika --- Sŭedineni amerikanski shtati --- САЩ --- SASht --- Съединените щати --- Sŭedinenite shtati --- Америка (Republic) --- Amerika (Republic) --- Estats Units d'Amèrica --- Америкӑри Пӗрлешӳллӗ Штатсем --- Amerikări Pĕrleshu̇llĕ Shtatsem --- Stati Uniti --- SUA (Stati Uniti d'America) --- Unol Daleithiau America --- Unol Daleithiau --- Amerikas Forenede Stater --- Vereinigte Staaten --- Wááshindoon Bikéyah Ałhidadiidzooígíí --- Zjadnośone staty Ameriki --- Ameerika Ühendriigid --- Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες της Αμερικής --- Hēnōmenes Politeies tēs Amerikēs --- Η.Π.Α. --- Ē.P.A. --- Usono --- Unuiĝintaj Ŝtatoj de Ameriko --- Американь Вейтьсэндявкс Штаттнэ --- Amerikanʹ Veĭtʹsėndi︠a︡vks Shtattnė --- Ameriketako Estatu Batuak --- Feriene Steaten --- Feriene Steaten fan Amearika --- FS --- Stâts Unîts di Americhe --- Stâts Unîts --- Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá --- Steatyn Unnaneysit America --- Steatyn Unnaneysit --- S.U.A. --- Na Stàitean Aonaichte --- NSA --- Mî-koet --- 미국 --- Miguk --- Amerikayi Miatsʻyal Nahangner --- Miatsʻyal Nahangner --- Американь Вейтьсэндявкс Штаттнэ --- Spojené obce severoamerické --- États-Unis --- É.-U. --- ÉU --- International relations - Decision making --- National security - Decision making --- Uncertainty - Political aspects --- Uncertainty - Political aspects - United States --- United States - Foreign relations - Decision making --- United States - National security - Decision making