Exercise of Power

By Robert M. Gates

From the former secretary of defense and author of the acclaimed #1 bestselling memoir, Duty, a candid, sweeping examination of power, and how it has been exercised, for good and bad, by American presidents in the post-Cold War world.

Since the end of the Cold War, the global perception of the United States has progressively morphed from a dominant international leader to a disorganized entity. Robert Gates argues that this transformation is the result of the failure of political leaders to understand the complexity of American power, its expansiveness, and its limitations. He makes clear that the successful exercise of power is not limited to the ability to coerce or demand submission, but must also encompass diplomacy, strategic communications, development assistance, intelligence, technology, and ideology. With forthright judgments of the performance of past presidents and their senior-most advisers, insightful ­firsthand knowledge, and compelling insider stories, Gates’s candid, sweeping examination of power in all its manifestations argues that U.S. national security in the future will require abiding by the lessons of the past, reimagining our approach, and revitalizing nonmilitary instruments of power essential to success and security.

Reviews for Exercise of Power

  • "[Gates's] tone is judicious and nonpartisan, and he grades all the administrations fairly according to his standards of professional competence. . . The familiar stories gain new life and interest when told by somebody who’s been in the room where it happens. Gates says what he thinks and refuses to pull his punches and, as a result, the book offers in one volume the most accurate record available of recent American security policy, the most incisive critique of that policy and the most sensible guide to what should come next."

    —Gideon Rose, The New York Times Book Review

  • "Few Americans have the depth and breadth of hands-on national security experience that Gates has. . . He skillfully blends the knowledge and discipline of a scholar with the hard-earned experience of a practitioner to produce a well-organized and superbly written book to lead America forward into a very different and challenging new world, and it is here that Gates’s admonitions are most compelling."

    —Richard Moe, The Washington Post

  • "The mastery with which Robert Gates wrestles with the fundamental question of the purposes to which America’s global power should be used reveals an astonishing combination of strengths — a narrative gift that captivates the reader from start to finish, an insightful mind, and a profound wisdom that comes from his own experience and wide-ranging historical knowledge.”

    —Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Leadership

  • “In a time of global instability, perhaps our nation’s most distinguished public servant, Robert M. Gates, has given us a compelling, thought-provoking, and much-needed assessment of how we got here—and what must be done to restore and extend the best of American power.”

    —Jon Meacham, author of The Soul of America

  • "Accessible. . . This important work dives deep into the past three decades of American foreign policy to provide a realistic picture of how key policy decisions were crafted. Highly recommended for those wanting an examination of America’s role within the global community."

    —Jacob Sherman, Library Journal, starred review

  • “Exercise of Power is a timely, essential guide for all those committed to sustaining America’s experiment in democracy. It should also be required reading for anyone engaged in crafting, influencing and (especially) executing American foreign policy. It is truly a page-turner.”

    —General Jim Mattis, coauthor, Call Sign Chaos