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Book Review: Overseen or Overlooked? Legislators, Armed Forces, and Democratic Accountability
Tom Vance
Authors: David P. Auerswald, Philippe Lagassé, and Stephen M. Saideman
Reviewed by: Tom Vance, US Army Reserve (retired)
In Overseen or Overlooked?, David P. Auerswald, Philippe Lagassé, and Stephen M. Saideman challenge the conventional focus on executive control of the military by spotlighting the often-underestimated role of legislatures in democratic civil-military relations. Drawing on more than a dozen global case studies, the authors reveal how parliaments struggle with capacity and motivation to provide meaningful oversight. This groundbreaking work offers practical reforms and a compelling argument: true democratic accountability in defense requires more than generals and presidents—it demands empowered legislators.
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Book Review: A War of Their Own: FULRO: The Other National Liberation Front, Vietnam 1955–75
William Thomas Allison
Author: William H. Chickering
Reviewed by: Dr. William Thomas Allison, professor of history, Georgia Southern University
William H. Chickering brings to light the untold story of FULRO, a coalition of Vietnam’s indigenous minorities who fought for autonomy amid the chaos of Cold War conflict. Through meticulous research and compelling narrative, the book reveals how these fighters navigated betrayal, shifting alliances, and global indifference. It’s a powerful account of resistance and identity in one of the most complex theaters of the Vietnam War.
©2026 William Thomas Allison
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Book Review: US Coercive Diplomacy and the Global Order: A Critical Analysis of Post–Cold War Strategies
Salih Işık Bora
Author: Richard Outzen
Reviewed by: Dr. Salih Işık Bora, Free University of Brussels
Sanctions, threats, and isolation have become staples of US foreign policy—but are they working? In US Coercive Diplomacy and the Global Order, Richard Outzen delivers a sharp critique of post–Cold War American strategy, revealing how overreliance on coercive tools has often undermined global influence and strategic credibility. Drawing on case studies and firsthand experience, this book offers a vital roadmap for more disciplined and effective statecraft in an era of renewed great-power competition.
©2026 Salih Işık Bora
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Book Review: A Military History of the New World Disorder: 1989–2022
James Andrew Nichols
Author: Jonathan M. House
Reviewed by: Lieutenant Colonel James Andrew Nichols, US Army War College class of 2024
In A Military History of the New World Disorder: 1989–2022, Jonathan M. House explores how the collapse of the Soviet Union gave rise not to global stability, but to a chaotic new era of fragmented conflicts and shifting military strategies. From Iraq and Afghanistan to Syria and Ukraine, House examines how world powers adapted—or failed to adapt—to a world without a clear strategic framework. This sweeping analysis reveals the complex interplay between political decisions and battlefield realities in the post–Cold War age of uncertainty.
©2026 James Andrew Nichols
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