THE INSURGENTS David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War

This important book traces the rediscovery of counterinsurgency (COIN) warfare among members of the U.S. officer corps during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Narrator Kevin Foley brings out the book's focus on a network of scholar-soldiers--PhDs as comfortable on the battlefield as they in academia--who rediscovered COIN warfare and eventually used it to change national military policy. There's drama as we wait to hear whether the ideas that Kaplan's heroes champion will avert catastrophe. Kaplan brings this cadre of extraordinary men and women to life with well-chosen personal details. He does a solid job of delivering the complex narrative. His deep, gruff voice and forceful delivery convey the worldview of these visionary military officers. F.C. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2013]