Book description
Eventually every conqueror, every imperial power, every occupying
army gets out. Why do they decide to leave? And how do political and
military leaders manage withdrawal? Do they take with them those who
might be at risk if left behind? What are the immediate consequences
of departure? For Michael Walzer and Nicolaus Mills, now is the time
to ask those questions about exiting-and to worry specifically about
the difficulties certain to arise as we leave-Iraq.
Getting Out approaches these issues in two sections. The first,
entitled "Lessons Learned," examines seven historical cases
of how and how not to withdraw: Britain's departure from the American
colonies and from India, the French withdrawal from Algeria, Israel's
unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, and the U. S. decision to leave (or
not leave) the Philippines, Korea, and Vietnam. These cases offer a
comparative perspective and an opportunity to learn from the history
of political and military retreats.
The second section, "Exiting Iraq," begins with an
introduction to just how the United States got into Iraq and continues
with an examination of how the U. S. might leave from a diversity of
voices, ranging from those who believe that the Iraq war has produced
no real good to those who hope for a decent ending. In addition to
essays by volume editors Walzer and Mills, Getting Out features
contributions by Shlomo Avineri, Rajeev Bhargava, David Bromwich,
Frances FitzGerald, Stanley Karnow, Brendan O'Leary, George Packer,
Todd Shepard, Fred Smoler, and Stanley Weintraub.
"This admirable book makes it plain that one reason why
military occupations are, in general, a bad idea, is that exit ramps
get blocked and horrors ensue. It is morally evident that, for the
occupying power, there is no end to responsibilities, which begin even
in nightmares. This is not a book that offers simple recipes for Iraq
or Afghanistan. But people of all persuasions should read it to deepen
their awareness of the moral imperatives."-Todd Gitlin, Columbia University
Michael Walzer is Professor Emeritus in the School of Social Science
at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and editor of Dissent.
He is the author of many books, including Just and Unjust Wars and, most
recently, Thinking Politically: Essays in Political Theory. Nicolaus
Mills is Professor of Literature and American Studies at Sarah Lawrence
College. A long-time contributor to Dissent magazine, his most recent
book is Winning the Peace: The Marshall Plan and America's Coming of Age
as a Superpower.
