Reviews for A just and lasting peace

The average rating for A just and lasting peace based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2008-07-30 00:00:00 Rob Granado Written in early 1988, this is remarkably prescient in predicting some of the things that have come to pass in the world since then. Nixon once again burnishes his foreign policy expertise by delving into U.S.-Soviet (this was only a few years before the collapse of the Soviet Union) relations. Nixon writes at length about Mikhail Gorbachev and how he was not as benign and friendly as many in the U.S. thought he was. He describes Gorbachev as a solid-core communist who has no desire to back down to American democracy. He accurately predicts that the Soviet Union could collapse economically - something that we all know did indeed occur. But he also writes that, even if this collapse were to happen, America should not let its guard down and think that a weakened Russia will remain in that state for long. Nixon predicted that, within fifteen years, Russia would be ascendant again militarily and eager to expand its sphere of influence and communist domination over other countries near it. It is as if he had a photo of Vladimir Putin sitting on his desk as he was writing this. Nixon brought four decades of foreign policy studies and experience to this book, and it shows in penetrating analysis such as this. He also writes about NATO and how it could easily become obsolete and irrelevant unless it continues to change along with the world. Considering all of the talk going on about NATO presently, and whether or not the U.S. will continue to support it and be a member, this is another example of Nixon accurately gauging the future of European relations and also how the U.S. fits into that picture. One gets the sense that Nixon, were he alive today, would not be at all surprised with the world situation - although he undoubtedly would be disappointed with Russia's machinations in the Crimea and Ukraine. Unfortunately, pulling out these nuggets involves being subjected to page after page of Nixon droning on about nuclear arms control and the SALT treaties. It probably didn't help that I just finished Henry Kissinger's memoirs and had more than my fill of the inner workings of those deliberations. But, unless you are really into studying nuclear weapons, it is difficult to stay focused when Nixon starts writing at length about throw weight and all of the various types and amounts of nuclear weapons. The last third of the book deals with the rest of the world. As always, his observations about China are interesting, and he writes that the U.S. had better recognize that China will soon be an economic powerhouse. He admits that his Latin American policy while he was in office was inadequate, as has been the policy of many other presidents, and that the U.S. needs to pay more attention to that part of the world, including Mexico. One drawback here is that Nixon tends to view the entire world through the lens of U.S.-Russian relations, and assumes that any country not aligned with U.S. interests is either being supported or subverted by Russia, or is open to being supported by them. I think this over-estimates the reach of Russia. There can be ,and are, local, ethnic conflicts between countries or within countries that have little or nothing to do with Russia or communism. An example is the Greek-Turkish issue over Cyprus. But nonetheless, Nixon is on the money with most of his observations, sometimes almost eerily so.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-10-21 00:00:00 Judson Spangler While some may dismiss Richard Nixon as a disgraced former President they ignore his insight, intelligence and prescience. This book was published in 1988. Much of what he described and predicted came to fruition. Those in positions of political office and leadership would be well advised to read this book even today.