LIBROS INVESTIGACIÓN

DE LA COMPENSACIÓN A LA REVOLUCIÓN. La configuración de la política de defensa estadounidense contemporánea (1977-2014)

Guillem Colom Piella, 2016

PRÓLOGO

The Role of a Champion in U.S. Defense Transformation: Implications for Spain’s Military Forces

Scott C. Truver, Ph.D.

Professor Guillem Colom has written a powerful, insightful book that analyzes the evolution of U.S. defense strategy, policy, guidance, and operations since the “high tide” of the Cold War. He draws lessons-learned and implications for Spain’s military forces in the 21^st Century. He has two objectives: First, he seeks to discuss and analyze the evolution of U.S. thinking about a far-reaching revolution in military affairs (RMA) and how that can influence and shape current and future national security debates in Spain. Second, he seeks to provide the first serious discussion of the last 50 years of U.S. defense evolution and transformation from the perspective of Madrid.

He has accomplished these goals in an exemplary manner. His analysis should prove valuable for U.S. and Spanish, among other, readers interested in national security, defense and military affairs.

Important for any understanding of U.S. defense, however, is the recognition of the inherently political process for strategic and programmatic success––who gets what, when, where, why, and how[1]. Indeed, as American political scientist Harvey Sapolsky explained in his book The Polaris System Development, it is the inherently and necessarily political process by which government programs achieve high priorities and guarantee resources for research and development (R&D), programmatic, and operational success.

[1]     This bureaucratic-politics overview is based on the author’s commentary (Truver, 2015)...