A military expert reveals how science fiction is fast becoming reality on the battlefield, changing not just how wars are fought, but also the p...
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reviews
Jan 26, 2009
Stew
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What sets this book apart from the usual policy wonk books that come out of Washington, D.C. think tanks is that Singer is actually a good writer and has a style that engages the reader and draws them into the topic.
Policy shops send me dozens of military books every year that are unreadable. This is a notable exception.
As someone who covers this topic in his day job, I haven't read it from cover to cover, and probably won't because I'm familiar with many of the programs he covers. H More...
Policy shops send me dozens of military books every year that are unreadable. This is a notable exception.
As someone who covers this topic in his day job, I haven't read it from cover to cover, and probably won't because I'm familiar with many of the programs he covers. H More...
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Oct 17, 2011
Christopher
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This is a freakin' awesome book! Singer, in this book on robotics and its use in the military, has just blown my mind. Reading about many of the things in this book seems like science fiction, yet it is all real. Robots that can stay in the air for over a day, robots that can act as sentry guards for army bases, robots that can see through walls, and even robots that can replace lost limbs; it is all in here. But what really blew my mind was not just the detailed accounts of these new technologi
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Oct 16, 2011
Artur
rated it: 
Um livro sobre robots armados que patrulham os céus em busca de alvos, seguram metralhadoras pesadas ou desactivam bombas improvisadas? Ainda muito recentemente este seria um bom mote para uma obra de ficção científica muito especulativa. Hoje, é um estudo vertical sobre uma realidade comum nos campos de batalha mundiais.
Num número maior do que se imagina, e espalhados pelos quatro cantos do globo, hoje circulam aeronaves de combate autónomas controladas remotamente a milhares de quiló More...
Num número maior do que se imagina, e espalhados pelos quatro cantos do globo, hoje circulam aeronaves de combate autónomas controladas remotamente a milhares de quiló More...
Aug 03, 2009
Rachel
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I found this book an excellent overview of the state of the art of military robotics. Singer's style is easy to read and entertaining, and he covered a huge range of ideas in a (relatively!) small space. The book briefly covers the history of warfare, history of computers, and history of robotics. It includes backgrounds on and discussions with the major players in the military robotics field, as well as digressions on non-military robotics and non-robotic military issues. Finally, there is
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Dec 20, 2011
Bryan
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The range of new military technologies surveyed in this book are troubling for the collection of difficult and novel ethical and legal questions they invite, as well as the ways in which they would seem to encourage more warfare and conflict. That said, Singer is a good writer, and the book is engaging to read. A few times I felt like too much time was spent describing the various technologies, and not enough time addressing the ethical and legal issues. The last several chapters of the book whe
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Mar 27, 2009
Wesley
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I first learned of this book when I saw the author plug on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. It seemed interesting and very similar to a book that I read a while back called Physics for Future Presidents. For that reason, I decided to read it and, to say the least, I found it to be quite informative.
The book basically talks about the technological advancements that are being made in the battle field. One such example of this would be the Predator drones. It used to be that in order to get i More...
The book basically talks about the technological advancements that are being made in the battle field. One such example of this would be the Predator drones. It used to be that in order to get i More...
May 31, 2011
David
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This fascinating book covers every aspect of the use of robots and drones in war. It covers the history, technology, the psychology, sociology, legal issues and ethics of robots and drones. Soldiers at the front are generally very appreciative of having robots to test out dangerous situations. Many many lives have been saved in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are downsides, too, that are covered quite well in this book. Each new technology extends the reach of war-fighters, and allows them to dista
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Mar 18, 2010
FiveBooks
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Professor Mary Kaldor of LSE has chosen to discuss P W Singer’s Wired for War on FiveBooks as one of the top five on her subject - War , saying that:
“… In 2004 there were 150 robots being used in Iraq. By 2008 there were 12,000. They do relatively benign things like de-mining and dismantling explosives but they also kill people. There is “The Predator” – an unmanned vehicle that hovers over an enemy for up to 90 hours before they decide whether to kill them or not. …”
The More...
“… In 2004 there were 150 robots being used in Iraq. By 2008 there were 12,000. They do relatively benign things like de-mining and dismantling explosives but they also kill people. There is “The Predator” – an unmanned vehicle that hovers over an enemy for up to 90 hours before they decide whether to kill them or not. …”
The More...
Jul 07, 2009
Eric
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This book covers the increased use of robots and drones by the military since 2003. They gone from using a handful in Iraq during the invasion to using 1000s. What's interesting is that they really haven't changed the fighting drastically. That won't happen until robots start replacing humans entirely. For instance, right now an "unmanned" Predator drone in Iraq has two pilots flying it in Nevada. Until it's one guy flying 10 of them, the drones won't come in to their own.
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Jul 24, 2009
Lucas
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I was hoping Wired For War to read like a Lawrence Lessig book, where conceptions that were vague in my own mind before starting would be rendered crystal clear in the text. It's worth reading but not up to that level- his main offering is that things are changing and the right people aren't paying enough attention.
The first 200 pages are just overview of current systems, with a Popular Science level of credulousness and lack of critical thought.
Next 200 pages get into issues, More...
The first 200 pages are just overview of current systems, with a Popular Science level of credulousness and lack of critical thought.
Next 200 pages get into issues, More...
Feb 23, 2009
Jonathan
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Fascinating topic.
At 100pp this would have been an average overview. At 200pp it might smack of sloppy editing. But at 436pp this begins to feel like malice.
Oddly wooden sense of humor, leaden writing, dull arguments... no more book recs from Jon Stewart!
At 100pp this would have been an average overview. At 200pp it might smack of sloppy editing. But at 436pp this begins to feel like malice.
Oddly wooden sense of humor, leaden writing, dull arguments... no more book recs from Jon Stewart!
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Dec 28, 2011
Sdluvingit
rated it:
My last completed book for 2011 is informative, thought-provoking, and scary. P. W. Singer's look at the next RMA (Revolution in Military Affairs) in Wired for War shows how the inspiration of science fiction has become reality. This book shows the current state of robotic technology, the research being done, the ever increasing pace of change, how it is currently being used in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the wonders and dangers such technology offers. There are serious questions about how divorci
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Oct 09, 2010
Cwn_annwn_13
rated it:
Well apparently wars in the future will be fought by detached from reality sociopathic nerds with videogame joysticks. Military people "in the know" that were interviewed see the writing on the wall and acknowledge that the role of the soldier will be hugely different in the not so distant future. Drones will make the fighter pilot obsolete. Robotics will eventually make the common foot soldier obsolete. The future military could easily be pencil neck geeks thousands of miles from the
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Jul 13, 2011
Lou
rated it: 
This book sucks.
Let me elaborate. I should have known this was going to suck when he said Bill Simmons was his favorite writer. Aside from any problems one might have with Simmons, easily the worst thing he's done is produce an army of sports writers trying to be funny and make tons of pop culture references. So when a historian from a think tank writes a history of drones and robots in the military, well, yeah. It sucks. Hard. You can literally go through each pages noting where the More...
Let me elaborate. I should have known this was going to suck when he said Bill Simmons was his favorite writer. Aside from any problems one might have with Simmons, easily the worst thing he's done is produce an army of sports writers trying to be funny and make tons of pop culture references. So when a historian from a think tank writes a history of drones and robots in the military, well, yeah. It sucks. Hard. You can literally go through each pages noting where the More...
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May 03, 2009
Todd
rated it:
Fascinating topic covered sloppily in a book with bad editing. Just watch the TED talk and listen to the interview with Terry Gross and skip reading the book.
It's really a shame that I couldn't enjoy this book more because the use of robotics in warfare is a fascinating and important topic. I didn't realize the extent of the use of drones in the air, on land, and in the water by the military. It has shaped the execution and policy of the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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It's really a shame that I couldn't enjoy this book more because the use of robotics in warfare is a fascinating and important topic. I didn't realize the extent of the use of drones in the air, on land, and in the water by the military. It has shaped the execution and policy of the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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Nov 14, 2010
[Nota preliminare: leggo che l’autore ha lavorato per il Pentagono, la CIA ecc. Mi viene da pensare: 1. che quel che leggerò consista in dati e fatti prudentemente circoscritti a una decina di anni fa e che le applicazioni belliche della robotica siano molto più avanzate; 2. che alcuni dei dati e dei fatti non siano veri e che la loro comunicazione abbia l’unico scopo di “impressionare”; 3. che, in generale, un libro come questo equivalga a una mossa nella partita per il controllo del consenso e
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May 03, 2010
Noah
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This book is a little bloated. Singer gives way too much airtime to quotations from experts who have nothing interesting or nonobvious to say and tends to replay a lot of his points over and over. There's a pretty solid core book buried in here, but this version needed better editing. Singer also acknowledges early on that we are notoriously bad at predicting technological development and its implications, especially when it comes to war. I appreciated that. Unfortunately he then proceeds t
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Jan 25, 2009
heard this guy interviewed on npr. sounded fascinating.
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Dec 02, 2010
Doc
rated it:
An entirely enjoyable, thought-provoking look at unmanned (and unwomaned) warfare. Wired for War is not at all like some of those Discovery Channel programs that are like hyped-up editions of a Sgt. Rock comic in which America bestrides the world, shredding all before her with the latest in gleaming, hi-tech weaponry that is not just deadly and cool but positively sexy.
Wired for War certainly covers all the latest military robots and takes a well-informed look into future robotic weapons. B More...
Wired for War certainly covers all the latest military robots and takes a well-informed look into future robotic weapons. B More...
Jul 28, 2011
I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in technology. This is book is about robotics and their military applications, but also about cutting edge technology in general. How cool will it be when there are transistors the size of an atom? How about nanomachines? Will a transporter be far behind. I was especially interested in how science fiction has influenced the progress of technology.
At the beginning of the Iraq war, there were no robots in theater. Now there are 12000 and m More...
At the beginning of the Iraq war, there were no robots in theater. Now there are 12000 and m More...
May 10, 2011
G0rd0
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Fascinating, comprehensive, and balanced, this book covers the future by looking at war technology. War is so often the driver of innovation. There are now more drone pilots than fighter pilots. Robot ground fighters number in the thousands on the battlefield, while Congress has mandated that half of all ground vehicles be unmanned by 2015. The next step is to give them autonomy. What will war mean when all of the killing is done without risk from across the globe? Take away valor, courage, d
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Mar 21, 2010
Ben
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The first time I had ever seen, let alone heard of, a Predator drone is from the episode "Chuck vs. the Predator" of the NBC television series Chuck (the drone actually appearing in that episode was a Reaper, the Predator's even deadlier successor). Before the Predator's appearance, I had no inkling of the extent to which the American military—indeed, any country's military—has integrated unmanned and robotic devices into its forces. Maybe I just don't read the right books (or blogs)
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Nov 07, 2011
Josh
rated it:
A book in two parts: the first part will blow your mind with what is being done while the second part will haunt your nightmares with what could go wrong.
Okay, so that's an exaggeration, but an otherwise accurate description. From the roles drones and robots are playing in Iraq to the way they are being controlled, the influence of science fiction, ethics issues, cultural issues - it seems pretty comprehensive.
Singer has an odd writing style, dropping pop culture referen More...
Okay, so that's an exaggeration, but an otherwise accurate description. From the roles drones and robots are playing in Iraq to the way they are being controlled, the influence of science fiction, ethics issues, cultural issues - it seems pretty comprehensive.
Singer has an odd writing style, dropping pop culture referen More...
Dec 03, 2011
Cyrus
rated it:
A well-researched, yet readable analysis of how we're all heading to the fiery apocalypse where we are slaves to military robots.
Not really, but it's easy to imagine. I actually expected this to be entirely dry military analysis, but there's a lot of philosophy dicussion that must come with the territory when you're letting robots make fatal decisions that the author does pay heed to.
Read this, and feel guilty about your Roomba that will probably shoot you in the back one da
Not really, but it's easy to imagine. I actually expected this to be entirely dry military analysis, but there's a lot of philosophy dicussion that must come with the territory when you're letting robots make fatal decisions that the author does pay heed to.
Read this, and feel guilty about your Roomba that will probably shoot you in the back one da
Aug 01, 2011
Jon
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This is an excellent book, if the subject sounds interesting to you, then read it. Singer is at his best in this one, even adding a surprising amount of comedy into his usual mix of scholarly research and analysis. If you want to get a look at what technology has done, is doing, and especially what it may be doing in the future of war, this book is a good place to look for some clues. Also, if you don't read it, the robots will probably come for you first, keep an eye out.
Mar 08, 2010
Maxwell714
rated it:
What would it be like fighting war from home? No this is not what is going to happen in the future this is what’s happening now. This is real. Now because of the latest in military technology it is possible. This book is going to teach you all about the robots and the technology that our troops use in war every day that make fewer troops be deployed and more come back home safely. If you want to learn more this is the book for you.
© Maxwell714 3/8/10
© Maxwell714 3/8/10
Aug 05, 2011
A really interesting book to read for anyone with an interest in the way we as a society are heading in the future. Singer raises some very interesting points and many ethical questions, and he provides a balanced view of both sides of the issues, weighing up the pros and cons of unmanned systems. I also loved that Singer posted a playlist on his website of "suggested listening". The music really did compliment the book.
Dec 16, 2009
Evan
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We live in a world where fleets of automated robot assassins patrol the skies, and very, very few of our political, military, or intellectual leaders are even discussing the ethical issues involved in fighting wars by robot proxy. Singer does, in extreme depth and detail. Definitely food for thought, at least until the day the only ethical question we have to ask ourselves is "have we done enough for our robot overlords today?"
Jan 10, 2011
Pete
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a thoroughly fascinating book in which Singer describes the enormous and rapid advance in the research, development and implementation of robotics for the purposes of our country's military as well as the implications (actual and potential) this advance means for our understanding the ethical and social aspects of warfare. at several points in the book, it would seem that science fiction has a much better grip on these implications than those in the non-fiction world who are creating and using t
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Aug 07, 2010
.50spiderbite
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I've never read a non-fiction book that's as fun to read as this one. Simultaneously engaging, informative and extremely exciting. All the concepts are presented couched in either down to earth metaphors, or in amusing pop culture references.
One of those books you can spend days reading the cross-reference links for. The back is stuffed with URL to a lot of the stories it references.
One of those books you can spend days reading the cross-reference links for. The back is stuffed with URL to a lot of the stories it references.
