The Sovereignty Solution

Book review
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Simons, Anna., McGraw Joe and Duane Lauchengco. The sovereignty solution: A common sense approach to global security. Naval Institute Press. 2011.
Introduction
The book that is reviewed is The Sovereignty Solution by Simons, McGraw and Lauchengco. This book presents to the readers a radical approach to strategy – a persuasive, credible and clear argument suggesting a fundamental and major shift in the way Americans define their country’s grand strategy. The authors recognize that although their thoughts and proposals are not the really ultimate solution, they may at least rouse some much needed debate pertaining to the issue. All through the text, the authors firmly build their case for the radical shift in strategy in a terse and understandable fashion. Thesis statement: in the book The Sovereignty Solution by Simons, McGraw and Lauchengco, the main theme is that American people need to identify what really makes them American, and as Americans, they also need to recognize their strengths and espouse them. The authors give emphasis to the need for America to take on a new policy when dealing with other countries: respect the sovereignty of the United States and the United States will respect yours.
Summary
The first chapter assesses the current situation; it particularly contrasts the strategy used in the 20th century with events in the 21st century. Simons, McGraw and Lauchengco point out that sovereignty demands that a government should live up to its obligation to its people. Only when the security services of the government behave in a responsible and responsive manner will people of that country feel adequately protected to uphold their end of the social bargain. It is only then will the citizens deny support to the terrorists, insurgents, and any group or individual that tries to undermine the state’s integrity. No matter how much the U.S. may want to, it cannot goad people in other countries to re-order their priorities or alter their values, without first changing existence as they know it; changing their existence would either necessitate total war to instil a new government, or conquering them outright.
Simons, McGraw and Lauchengco point out that people need to be able to live under any governance system they want. Richard Haas is cited by the authors of this book: Haas had written about the threats to sovereignty. Citing him, the authors write that countries are being challenged from below by militias; from above by international and regional organizations; and by various corporations and non-governmental organizations from the side. According to the authors, foreign aid from the West to developing nations has not succeeded. Every year, foreign aid pumps billions of US dollars through corrupt foreign governments. A lot of monetary foreign aid is used in wrong places and American tax dollars help in fuelling this dysfunction. In country after country, the U.S military is constructing schools, digging wells and setting up health clinics as this fits the counter-insurgency assumption that by assisting other people, America can prevent these people from attacking them. Even so, none of America’s assistance guarantees th...