Losing Hurts Twice as Bad: The Four Stages to Moving Beyond Iraq

By Christopher J. Fettweis

Now longer than the Civil War, America's conflict in Iraq seems to have no end in sight. A malaise, perhaps greater than that engendered by Vietnam, threatens to undo our national moorings. Christopher J. Fettweis, a military strategy expert, burst onto the national scene with an editorial and NPR interviews that provided an illuminating historical perspective on the ramifications of any great power's defeat. Fettweis contends that Iraq has thrown America into an unprecedented downward spiral, yet he provides a context for America's loss that few political pundits have recognized. With abundant historical comparisons drawn from the American Revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, among others, Fettweis charts a natural course of defeat (denial, shock, anger, depression, and acceptance). He offers a prescriptive "grand strategy" that will help us forge a new approach to American foreign policy. This is a book no lover of history can ignore, for there may be a silver lining few have yet realized.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393067610
• ISBN13: 9780393067613
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.6" x 1.1" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

I've Still Never Seen This Man's Diploma

More loser talk from "Doctor" Fettweis. Having spent my college years in way too regular proximity to the author, I can assure all of you that his "theories" are really the LEAST objectionable thing about him. Fettweis, I expect that my free copy will be arriving by mail. I rate this book with 5 stars because I presume I am mentioned in it by name. If that turns out not to be the case, this review will, of course, be revised accordingly.

READ THE BOOK. NOT THESE REVIEWERS' COMMENTS

Many of the other reviewers have not read the book and are simply basing their opinion solely on the book title. I have read it. I know they are misinformed. The book speaks to what the US needs to learn from this moment in time, what our foreign policy should focus on in the future and what the american society will need to do to recover and move forward.

The Best Book on Iraq and Military Strategy

Fettweis' evidence is awesome and convincing but he neither dwells upon on nor celebrates the United States' missteps as the other reviewers, who admit that they haven't read the book, infer. Fettweis' analysis is thoughtful and careful. Furthermore, Losing Hurts Twice as Bad is not as much about the war in Iraq as it is about how the United States mut move beyond Iraq to other more pressing international challenges. I highly recommend Losing Hurts Twice as Bad for people who like military strategy, international relations, history, current events, sports, learning, diplomacy, and the United States. GWD

What a lesson.

Usually an admission that one has not read a book is the kiss of death for being taken seriously. Here it seems almost mandatory. As a lesson in the volatility of hindsight it really can't be topped. What looked like 20/20 in May of 2007 is totally different than the 20/20 of May 2008. I suspect "pulled a Fettweis" will soon be entering the lexicon. For that reason it gets my 5 star review.