Wars of Blood and Faith: The Conflicts That Will Shape the Twenty-First Century

by Ralph Peters

In the no-holds-barred tradition that has won him so many fans across the nation and around the world, best-selling author and strategist Ralph Peters confronts the crucial security issues of our time--and the troubled times to come.

Genres: Military Fiction, Nonfiction, History, War, Islam

384 pages, Hardcover

First published June 18, 2007

About the author

Ralph Peters is a novelist, an essayist, a former career soldier, and an adventurer in the 19th-century sense. He is the author of a dozen critically acclaimed novels, two influential works on strategy, "Beyond Terror" and "Fighting for the Future".

Mr. Peters' works can also be found under the pen name "Owen Parry." He also appears frequently as a commentator on television and radio networks.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/ralphp...

Reviews

[Kym Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whether he is writing fiction or non fiction Ralph Peters is a good and heavy punching writer.
In this work he addresses the role of the US in the emerging age of high tech warfare and low tech ideologies, his sense of modern affairs as well as his historical knowledge are always apparent in his work.

Not an actual book more a collection of his previous prose for journals, news papers and magazines. In any case it provides a good read and allows one to appreciate the scope of importance that the US places upon itself as an apparent guardian of freedom as written by one of its warriors.

69 %

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ralph Peters is one of the great minds of our era. He blends an extensive knowledge of history with logical thinking to give us useful insights into the world around us.

[Pei-jean Lu · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I found this book in a junk shop I was perhaps hoping for it to be an in depth look into the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan in a post 9/11 world. What it is instead is a series of essays published in one volume.
Certainly it is interesting to read it especially now given the many changes that have occurred since it’s publication, but I also found that his opinions sometimes were contradictory to previously made statements and also I couldn’t completely agree with many of his views with respect to the conflicts in the Middle East which kept me from giving it a higher rating.

[Mkawass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Division of the middle east in front of your eyes. No more a conspiracy theory.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Wars of Blood and Faith” was written by Ralph Peters. It is a collection of short essays published in 2006 and 2007 that delve into the world of war 21st century style .

Peters is a retired Army intelligence officer who is articulate and extremely perceptive in his observations. He is also a very, very good writer.

And he doesn’t pull any punches - members of both the left and the right are exposed as incompetents. He blasts the generals and colonels who are more concerned about what plush job they will land after retirement than doing their jobs the right way.

Look - Sherman said War is Hell. With war there is blood. Young men (and now women) are hurt and some die. That is reality. The goal should be to provide our soldiers with the best tools and the best training and the best intelligence possible so they can do their job.

According to Peters, our policy makers and many of our military commanders just don’t get the picture of dealing with ethnic wars or religious fanaticism in the 21st century. The US fought communism for 50 years. The problem is policy makers and military commanders are approaching today’s conflicts as if the Islamic radicals are those same communists of years past. Wake up - it’s not a question of capitalism VS communism; it’s “My God says I must kill you.”

A good - but upsetting - read.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice collection of Peters' articles and essays for the last few years. Peters, a former Army Lt. Col intel officer, takes on the way the U.S. wages war, the Bush administration, the Washington elite and political leadership, academia, and the media. Not surprisingly, he is effusive in his praise of our men and women in uniform, and would opt for further freeing their hands to advance U.S. national security interests, rather than continuing to hamstring them through various means. The subject matter ranges throughout the world, challenging one's thinking on the war in Iraq, Islam, geopolitics, and much else.

Brutally honest, largely optimistic, and filled with hilarious analogies and witticisms. Some of the articles, particularly with the success of the surge, seem a bit dated, but that is to be expected in a book like this. Still, there is plenty of on-the-ground, experienced wisdom to be had here.

Enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

[Gregory Eakins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ralph Peters puts together a great compilation of newspaper opinion articles discussing the situation of Iraq. Most are well written and entertaining to read. However, because this was not written as a book, there is a lot of overlapping material between articles and it gets quite repetitive.

[Lillian I Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Overview of Global Scope

An around the world tour of the various states, countries, societies, cultures, religion, myths and cultures of our age .An amazingly durable view of Globalization and local factors. Read in bits or pieces. Enjoyable and educational.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of articles by Peters, many brilliant and all insightful. Greatly expanded my understanding of Islamist extremism.

[Freddie williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peters, is a good writer and makes good points- this book is a collection of his articles

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting read. enjoyed how the articles followed each other in subject matter. although written in 2007, some of his ideas still remain relevant.

[Steven]

Really enjoy Col. Peters views on global conflict. Very insightful.