15 June 2008 - Even though I was "in the military" during Operation Iraqi Freedom and watched CNN every day this book did an amazing job detailing OIF from start to the end of phase three. Gen Franks offers his insightful account of History at one of the major "creases" in American History. Gen Franks stands tall above the Washington blame game and instead focuses on successes and failures, why those failures may have occurred, and HIS solutions to some of those failures. This is a must read for anyone who criticizes our presents in Iraq.

Any American general or president who leads an army against jihadist Islam deserves our almost unqualified respect in a West that comes across as comfort-driven, welfare-pandering, entertainment-drugged, and seemingly too cowardly to defend itself. Both Tommy Franks and George Bush will stand tall in the annals of future history, as always defined by military prowess, long after the topical dust of our shallow, politically correct culture settles and fades into television-commercial oblivion.

However, it's important NOT to take a book by Tommy Franks at face value. The brutal realities of fighting "our worst enemy since the civil war" will never be articulated in a world whose impression of any hard reality must first pass muster with Sunday School simplicity prompted by history- and context-free self-congratulation. "Guns aren't nice," some superficial wives sloganeer, and "Make love not war," effortlessly proclaiming a self-righteousness that is both unearned and dangerous to any hope of a durable peace.

Accordingly, "American Soldier" is an unfortunate chronicle of media-palatible commentary about military and personal events that might be drawn quite otherwise if free-speech were truly to prevail in Tommy Franks' life as an honest spokesman of military wisdom. After all, he freely acknowledges his 4-starness to having been selected by Bill Clinton; he's a "Clinton general" in his own words. Must we ask what kind of commanding general would have been chosen by former presidential candidate Al Sharpton? Generals-in-waiting surely come in all chevrons, from Marxist liberals to Axis militarists. The commander-in-chief "of the moment" chooses. Today we want our military leaders to feign ideological innocence while being supported by a statistics-savvy management mechanism. Good luck, but it's ruthlessness and a whatever-it-takes aggressiveness that win wars, not media accountability or other facile diplomacy.

Those who've attended the general's public lectures will recognize right away that he's not the Erwin Rommel, George Patton, or Tadimichi Kuribayashi they might have hoped for. Even so, let us acknowledge his predictable standing applause from largely World War II veterans everywhere: a salute to a universal code of military fighting spirit that has existed in all times and that will stand independent of the political surface.

Too bad that Gen. Franks often chooses to portray a "Gomer Pyle" persona to audiences that expect to hear even more saber-rattling than is now fashionable. He shrinks from being more germane than political reality allows. Yes, we would much rather fight on foreign shores than at home. But shouldn't we also prefer to fight NOW rather than selfishly defer our battles to future generations? Too often, our orientation to politics is greedy, too apt to defer deprivations that might interfere with our own comforts. The example of our Spartan forebears will only vaguely influence us, though a strong Christian military in the West would surely benefit from a plunge into our Greco-Roman-Viking past!

Any American general or president who leads an army against jihadist Islam deserves our almost unqualified respect in a West that comes across as comfort-driven, welfare-pandering, entertainment-drugged, and seemingly too cowardly to defend itself. Both Tommy Franks and George Bush will stand tall in the annals of future history, as always defined by military prowess, long after the topical dust of our shallow, politically correct culture settles and fades into television-commercial oblivion.

However, it's important NOT to take a book by Tommy Franks at face value. The brutal realities of fighting "our worst enemy since the civil war" will never be articulated in a world whose impression of any hard reality must first pass muster with Sunday School simplicity prompted by history- and context-free self-congratulation. "Guns aren't nice," they sloganeer, and "Make love not war," effortlessly proclaiming a self-righteousness that is both unearned and dangerous to any hope of a durable peace.

Accordingly, "American Soldier" is an unfortunate chronicle of media-palatible commentary about military and personal events that might be drawn quite otherwise if free-speech were truly to prevail in Tommy Franks' life as an honest spokesman of military wisdom. After all, he freely acknowledges his 4-starness to having been selected by Bill Clinton; he's a "Clinton general" in his own words. Must we ask what kind of commanding general would have been chosen by former presidential candidate Al Sharpton? Generals-in-waiting surely come in all chevrons, from Marxist liberals to Axis militarists. The commander-in-chief "of the moment" chooses. Today we want our military leaders to feign ideological innocence while being supported by a statistics-savvy management mechanism. Good luck, but it's ruthlessness and a whatever-it-takes aggressiveness that win wars, not media accountability or other facile diplomacy.

Those who've attended the general's public lectures will recognize right away that he's not the Erwin Rommel, George Patton, or Tadimichi Kuribayashi they might have hoped for. Even so, let us acknowledge his predictable standing applause from largely World War II veterans everywhere: a salute to a universal code of military fighting spirit that has existed in all times and that will stand independent of the political surface.

Too bad that Gen. Franks often chooses to portray a "Gomer Pyle" persona to audiences that expect to hear even more saber-rattling than is now fashionable. He shrinks from being more germane than political reality allows. Yes, we would much rather fight on foreign shores than at home. But shouldn't we also prefer to fight NOW rather than selfishly defer our battles to future generations? Too often, our orientation to politics is greedy, too apt to defer deprivations that might interfere with our own comforts. The example of our Spartan forebears will only vaguely influence us, though a strong Christian military in the West would surely benefit from a plunge into our Greco-Roman-Viking past!

If you enjoy military biographies, this is one of the very best I've ever read.

I read this book when it first came out, and out of the thousands of books I have read over some 60 years, it is one of the most unforgettable. This man came out of the dust and dirt of Oklahoma and Midland, Texas to enter the Army as a grunt boot, and when he was getting on the bus to report to the Army, his Dad simply said "Make em a hand, son" which in West Texanese means, "Whatever they teach you to do, Son, do a good job for them!" And did he ever----Commander of the greatest Military Force in the History of this planet! An unforgettable true story that should make all Americans proud.

I will admit my bias - I am a huge "fan" of General Franks. This book is about his life, his perspectives and experiences. There is a ton of stuff we'd never get to know about if it weren't for this book. One thing I admired most was his professionalism in writing it. If you're looking for some "tell all" expose, this ain't it. General Franks speaks respectfully about his bosses throughout the book. I know some readers won't like that, but to me it was refreshing.

You have to be determined to finish this book. It starts slow, and the writing isn't the best, but it provides an interesting glimpse into the mind of Tommy Franks and the military during the Iraqi and Afghani invasions. I enjoyed it, and it's a great read for anyone interesting in the strategy behind our two latest wars.

Now that I know Tommy Franks up close, I would endorse and support this man for President in 2008. We need more leaders like Tommy Franks.

This book gives a solid picture of the intellectual worldview of supporters of President Bush's policies. I give this book high marks for that because it helped me understand the reasoning behind viewpoints that I totally disagree with.

The book starts unfortunately with hollow anecdotes of Frank's father explaining to him as a boy that in wars are the result of bad guys in other countries and that US military actions are always righteous. There is on bizarre story of his father taking his boy scout troop on a tour of an execution chamber and letting the boys sit in the electric chair. It comes off as Frank's fantasy rather than his actual memories. This is unfortunate because it tainted my view of the rest of the book, which is much better than the parts about his childhood.

I enjoyed the account of how Franks came to join the military and rise through its ranks. This story shows how Franks, and many Americans, came to see modern problems as military problems. It's the subject Franks learned best, and he can't help but seeing problems though that lens. He agrees with President Bush's view that the September 11 attacks were the beginning of a great struggle between great powers rather than a case of mass murder carried out by loosely organized criminals. He lays out some intelligent evidence to support this view. For the first time I saw the logic behind viewing politically motivated murder as a war.

The book ends with Frank's case for why the invasion and occupation of Iraq were justified. He provides criticism of the mainstream media coverage. It is interesting that he criticizes the media for aggrandizing criminal groups in Iraq by calling them the "insurgency" or "resistance". That seems precisely what his "war on terror" view does. It lumps unrelated criminals and thugs in the world together into a colossus threatening all the democratic societies of the world.

Several times in the book Franks and Bush mention their "Texas" background and values and the "Texas boys" serving in the military. I wouldn't like being a Wisconsin guy working for them. I can't help but imagine how things would be different if the president and Franks had been from Wisconsin instead.

This book does not present itself as non-partisan. Supporters of President Bush will enjoy reading their side of the story. Liberals will get insight into the rightwing worldview.

Soldiers, especially generals, often find themselves second-guessed. These days, these armchair generals (I'm the first to admit I'm one of them, albeit a (hopefully) objective one) pick apart every decision a particular general makes, in an attempt to prove that, if no one else had been available, *they* could have done a better job. Tommy Franks, commander of CENTCOM during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, has become the latest version of this phenomenon, which has seemingly snowballed in recent years. No one ever dared dissect George Patton or Douglas MacArthur's maneuvers publicly during World War II. If anyone had, they'd have gone to jail...or better yet, Patton might have shot them with that pistol of his. Franks is from a different generation, though, so every decision he makes is under a microscope the minute it's known publicly.

The adopted son of a poor couple, a father who had many jobs and his wife who sold pies to help pay the bills, Franks grew up in Oklahoma and Texas, and flunked out of college in the latter. Deciding to shape himself up, he joined the army as a private in 1965, graduating from Officer Candidate School two years later. He did a year in Viet Nam, came home and married the girl he'd been dating, and stayed in the army, eventually, because they paid for his return to college. As he rose throug the ranks, he continued to reevaluate his position every year or three, thinking each time that he'd retire and enter the private sector, making his wife happy because they could stop moving. The army thwarted this by continuing to promote him right up through the ranks until he reached four stars.

The heart of the book is the discussions of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Franks has a very frank approach to critics and criticism: he brushes it aside very brusquely. According to him, the main decisions made during the war were made for very pragmatic reasons, and the battles that were fought were generally successful. Issues such as the presence of WMD in Iraq are discussed in detail. Franks' view is that *everyone* thought Saddam Hussein had at least chemical and biological weapons prior to the war, even the French and the Germans. Those countries just didn't think it was worth provoking Saddam over. Having liberated the country, however, it's become rather simple: Saddam isn't on the throne any more, and that's a good thing, regardless.

Both of the wars Franks fought are the subject of much controversy. Afghanistan appears to be a failure, according to critics, until Osama dies. When he does, I'm sure the same critics will say that Osama never mattered, and somehow raise the bar elsewhere, so that the war can be judged a failure. Iraq will continue to be a failure as long as the Iraqi insurgents have the idea that if they kill just a few more American soldiers, the rest will leave.

The one thing I do take issue with, in terms of General Franks' practice of warfare, is a seemingly mundane one: he doesn't sleep very much during much of the crisis portions of the book. It's rather famous that then General Montgomery went to sleep as the Battle of El Alamein started, and later said he slept like a baby. Franks, by contrast, never seems to sleep much at all. I'm not entirely certain that this is a good example: I think that a good night's sleep is important for anyone, including a general who makes decisions that affect thousands of people.

That aside, this is an interesting book, and I enjoyed it a great deal. It's a bit indistinct with regards to military units and maneuvers, and the end is a bit hurried, but other than that it's well-written.

In the same way that German generals were scribbling their self-absolving memoirs in the 50s, Tommy Franks has dished out a crock of nonsense he apparently hopes will make history treat him somewhat kindly. Unfortunately, the record of failure in Afghanistan and Iraq is plain for the world to see, and with the publication of "Cobra II", Franks must acknowledge and bear a good portion of the responsibility for allowing bin Laden to escape from Tora Bora, for signing off on insufficient troop levels to secure Iraq, and for allowing political ideology to override good military planning. The most offensive parts of the book are the ones where he takes issue with critics, and in effect declares the infallibility of Bush's and Rumsfeld's judgement. "Mission Accomplished" will be a punch line for decades to come. Really, an embarrassingly self-serving, servile, and now discredited memoir. Not even worth the pennies many copies are selling for.

I've always enjoyed watching interviews with Gen. Franks. He seems like a guy who is at one time the most laid back country boy in the world and at the same time someone who won't put up with BS from anyone for a moment.

This book is written in a straight forward manner that doesn't get into exhaustive explanations of history or the military. You get snippets of history as Franks rises from a private all the way to one of the highest posts in the military. But he does go out of his way to explain a lot of his thinking during the current campaign against terror. There are some fantastic moments in the book as Franks explains the highly political world at the tops of the different branches of the military and how hard it can be to reign them in when fighting a common enemy.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in a true military perspective on current world events.

I've always enjoyed watching interviews with Gen. Franks. He seems like a guy who is at one time the most laid back country boy in the world and at the same time someone who won't put up with BS from anyone for a moment.

This book is written in a straight forward manner that doesn't get into exhaustive explanations of history or the military. You get snippets of history as Franks rises from a private all the way to one of the highest posts in the military.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in a true military perspective on current world events.

"American Soldier" is a plain-spoken and highly readable account of General Tommy Franks's long career in uniform, from his tour in Vietnam in the late 1960's through the last years of the Cold War and the first Gulf War, through his concluding assignment as Commander, U.S. Central Command, during the opening years of the Global War on Terrorism. Franks and his collaborator, Malcolm McConnell, capture a highly authentic flavor of life in the service over that long span of time.

Inevitably, the planning and execution of Operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraqi Freedom in Iraq dominate the narrative. Within the limits of unclassified information, Franks provides a remarkably honest account of the challenging task to put together these operations, something the average reader has probably forgetten. The operations as finally executed represented a radical departure from the conventional military operations of the Cold War and serve as a template for the Department of Defense's ongoing transformation. These operations have fairly been called the first wars of the Information Age, and the leveraging of information and other new technologies is spelled out in Franks' narrative. The forces under Franks' control achieved remarkable results with far fewer troops than anyone had previously imagined was possible.

"American Soldier" draws to a close before the full dimensions of the challenge of stabilizing Iraq had become apparent, so the storyline is somewhat incomplete. Franks is unapologetic about his accomplishments and about the full contact interaction with the Bush Administration through which strategic planning was and is properly done. Implicit in Franks narrative is a reminder of how inherently messy military operations always are, and how plans rarely if ever survive intact their first contact with the enemy.

This book is highly recommended to the student of the military art, as well as to those curious about Tommy Franks himself.

This book reminds me a bit of the recent General Zinni book - the US Marine general and prior boss of CENTCOM. The stories are interesting and in many ways similar. For the most part any they are outstanding patriots - and both ran CENTCOM and both saw and describe a lot of dangerous action in Vietnam in their books. You cannot fault them for their energy and valour.

If you like the military guys and their biographies, then this is a recommended read and is a lot more lively than most. It has excellent maps and photos of Franks and his career. Zinni's book in particular drags tremendously after the first 125 pages. This book moves along and for the most part and does not drag. So buy the book - I recommend the book you will not be disappointed.

This book confirms our fears (what we pretty well knew) that many people in Washington spend more time worrying about their own turf than national security. But of course this interference is as old as history itself. Franks put his craft and know how ahead of politics for the most part. He is basically a straight shooter.

Where I diverge a bit is on the political analysis but it does not detract from his story. Franks' three week Iraq offensive worked. It worked well. But I still see no signs that the "war" was won. He showed tremendous bravery in Vietnam but that was also a lost cause. In any case the quick invasion was an overwhelming success - no question - and the administration had the fortitude to send in troops on the ground and that was admirable to get rid of Saddam. But the bottom line is that the Iraqi's do not like us, and surprising for myself was that they were more interesting in looting than democracy!! In any case with three religious groups in Iraq, all hating each other, one wonders if democracy will ever work in that region.

Other than that the book is fine and is a strong buy 4 or 5 stars and gives an insider's view and is a recommendation in the current times. Read also the 9/11 Commission Report (it is cheap and has lots of ideas and facts) and my favorite: "The Choice" by Zbigniew Brzezinski.
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"American Soldier," by Tommy Franks, is the memoir of the four-star general who was in charge of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) at the start of the 21st century wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Malcolm McConnell is credited as co-author. The book covers the whole span of Franks' life, including his boyhood in central Oklahoma, his enlistment in the Army and tour of duty in Vietnam, his post-Vietnam Cold War service in Germany, his experience as a brigadier general in the Gulf War, his term as CENTCOM commander-in-chief, the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his activities after retiring from the Army.

This is a story with an epic scope, and it is told well by Franks and McConnell. Despite the book's hefty size (about 600 pages), I found it to be a swift and engaging read. The fascinating main text is supplemented by maps, a glossary of military terms and acronyms, an index, and many photographs, both color and black-and-white. Franks just doesn't recall the events of his life; he also raises some critical issues and offers some well-stated opinions on them. Particularly resonant is his stress on the importance of joint cooperation between the different branches of the U.S.'s military; Franks strongly condemns the "service parochialism" that he sees as hindering this critical "jointness." Franks also celebrates the potential of advancing technology to give today's military commanders "the kind of Olympian perspective that Homer had given his gods." But despite this appreciation of technology, Franks emphasizes the importance of such old-fashioned military values as leadership and loyalty. The articulation of Franks' overall military philosophy helps to bind together the overall narrative of his life.

Franks' voice in this memoir is often feisty and opinionated. And while the book is consistently interesting and readable, at times it seemed to have a flavor of personal bias and political slant that I found disagreeable. At points in the book he seemed to be trying too hard to justify the decision to go to war in Iraq when and how the U.S. did. And his portrait of George W. Bush often reads like inappropriate flattery. Such moments in the book may hurt Franks' credibility as a memoirist for some readers.

That criticism aside, there is much to admire in this epic life story. I was particularly intrigued by Franks' stories of encounters with many remarkable world leaders--Marine Corps General Tony Zinni, his immediate predecessor as CENTCOM chief; Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf; U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell; King Abdullah II of Jordan; and more. Also worthy of note is Franks' view of the role of the media in 21st-century war. The book contains some really gripping scenes. Over the course of the memoir I saw not only one soldier's life, but also got a sense of the evolution of America's army over the span of decades. "American Soldier" is a book that I would recommend to both military professionals and civilian readers.

There're lots of reviewers who summarize the book for you. This review is not like those. This reivew will analyze the book.

What makes this book interesting is Gen. Franks tells the reader in many different ways, all vividly illustrated with first-person examples, the how and why of the New Military. Winning wars is no longer determined by having millions of men and mega-tons of ordnance. It's about (in addition to the old stanchions of courage, bravery, integrity, hard work, self-sacrifice) the power of innovation, alacrity, personal contacts, negotiation, collaboration, good understanding of foreign cultures, international economics, public policy.

I wish he'd also have told us WHY he rose to 4 stars from the lowest rank (he enlisted after one year of college). He showed us, but did not comment on how he applied his graduate level education in busines, history, physics (paid for by the military) ... to his work. He also showed us the American style of leadership: self-deprecating, humorous, folksy, complimentary to others and PERSONAL.

In the current hyper-partisan political climate, Gen. Franks would rightly be accused of being sycophantic in his praise of his command chain and the Bush administration. But, whatever your politics, wouldn't it be even more worrisome if a high ranking professional soldier expressed a contrarian opinion?

This book would be useful to high school and college age people to understand what a career in the military is like and what it takes to be successful. Whether you're for or against the military, an insider's view of an excellent character, and how to plan and run a really big show (Iraqi Freedom) is always worthwhile.

I bought this book the first time I saw it in a bookstore in June 2005. I am writing this review the following Veteran's Day. His stepfather (he was adopted) gave him good advice--"Make 'em a hand." I appreciated that he asked Secretary Rumsfield to make it clear to the Pentagon that he answers to the President and to the Secretary of Defense not the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I am encouraged that he found encouragement to lead the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq by reading Ephesians 6:11-17 (p. 430). He mentioned some lessons he personnally learned as an officer in command of people. One example is on in pages 147-151, he was spending Christmas 1990 in the Persian Gulf with his troops. It was his first year as a general. He actually spent Christmas Eve with the men and women not on duty by talking to them, eating with them, and trying to sing carols with them. He realized that as their leader it was his business to look out for them. He mentioned that one young enlisted man named Jackson actually followed him around that night and listened to what he said. Jackson actually hugged him and thanked him for making that CHristmas special for him. To quote General Franks: "Soldiers have families, the one they're born into, and the other that includes all the men and women with whom they serve." He learned while in Vietnam on pages 90-91 that being a leader is not a popularity contest. As a lieutenant, he made a bad mistake of not requiring soldiers to wear all their body armor and helmets while on duty--if the enemy attacked those men would have been wounded or killed for his bad decision. I especially enjoyed reading on pages 117-128 about his time in Germany in the 1970s. He was ordered as a captain to help improve the morale of the men. He awarded troops who dressed and acted like soldiers. One solider who had a good record was suddenly being sloppy. When he talked to the man privately about what is wrong, he discovered that his grandmother (who raised him) died and he was denied permission to attend the funeral. General Franks apologized to him, gave him time off, and called his junior officers in to "rip" them for this incident. I agree with him on page 127: "If a trooper comes to you with a problem, remember this: It's your problem, and it's my problem". General Franks understood that: "Everything rises or falls on leadership." I commend him for honoring his wife throughout the book. The book ends with a thank you to his wife for her love and support in their marriage and his military career. THis man did believe that weapons of mass destruction were available in Iraq and Afghanistan and was willing to go defend our nation! The only disagreement I have with this book is in pages 550-557 when he talks about Israel. He admits he was been around Muslims more and has heard their complaints. He is wrong about Israel and Muslims needing to work together. It will never happen. The War on Terrorism is a war on Islam. All the terrorists are good Muslims. WHen Muslims stop killing people and hating Israel, they can be able to get along with everybody. I do endorse this book!

I found the book very interesting. Covers his early career and shows how lessons learned from the past led to the most impressive military victory in history. Now........if we can just win the peace.

This book says a lot about General Franks, and what you see you like. He does his job well, thinks creatively about the problems he encounters, and cares deeply about his soldiers. Management types will appreciate his daily 3x5 cards, his handling of beltway sniping during the beginning of the Afghan campaign, and his beginning of any planning effort with a short list of assumptions he presents to his bosses. Yes, he adheres to party line in all the really basic controversies about Iraq--but he executed policy, he didn't make it. Worth a read.

We got this book for my Dad for Fathers Day. He loved it. He read it in about two days, he said he couldn't put it down.

There aren't many men like this anymore... Reading this book allows you to see the growth of a boy to man in the generation after WWII. Tommy Franks has all of the attributes that existed when we speak of the great WWII generation.

As you read this book you truly get a sense of selflessness; a man totally dedicated to leading and helping others. Although some of the book is dedicated to Iraq and Afghanistan there is so much more to it. Tommy Franks the book is about his experiences and the effects on his life. There are no politics here; just the life of a soldier; one totally dedicated to the US. The views of Vietnam, the Cold War and just the day to day life in the military make this book a excellent read.

Even though the book was written about himself the tone is very different from other biographies; there is no self promotion or self glorification. It truly is a great read.

Having served my country and retiring as an Air Force major, I understand the need for us to understand history in order for us to grow and be able to handle the events of today. "American Soldier" is an appropriate book for our time and is a must book to read for anyone interested in history.

As I read the book I took out my red pen and made notes in the columns (something I do with really good books). Tommy Franks comments after visiting a prison and becoming acquainted with an electric chair that he learned a very important lesson that day. Life is about choices and consequences. You will live with the choice you make. He never forgot that lesson.

Indeed, several years later he remembered that lesson when he was confronted with a situation in which he took some money to buy a BB rifle and shot out light bulbs at the grandstand of the rodeo grounds.

College was a rude awakening to Tommy and he ended up flunking out. As he said after this part of his life, "I had a lot of growing up to do." Following this defeat began a great victory with his introduction into the Army. He learned a lot early on, lessons that he never forgot and referred to later on in the book. His Vietnam tour was another key learning experience, another that would influence him as he rose in rank.

One the important lessons he learned came from Lt Col Eric Antila. After a particularly bad beating from the VC, Antila suffered with his troops, but could not afford to show. As Franks said, "In war, it is necessary that commanders be able to delay their emotions until they can afford them."

During one particularly harrowing experience, Franks came to understand "During my months in combat, I'd come to understand that a soldier owes loyalty to his unit and to his boss." However, "I realized that loyalty not only flows up the chain of command: It flows down as well."

This one incident, I believe, reflects very much on Franks understanding of warfare and the people who fight. I have no doubt that the things we learn in war are much different that those we learn in peace. Throughout my 20-year peacetime career in the Air Force, I only had 2 senior officers who understood this concept of loyalty. Most of the others were only interested in getting promoted and would step on those who might not help them get there.

From Vietnam on the book reflects Franks' learning experiences as a soldier. He learned the details of artillery and command. Some of the earlier lessons he learned from Lt Col Antila seemed to forever impress upon him what it takes to command. He learned the benefits of positive reinforcement.

Upon being promoted to brigadier general he began to see more of the desert arena. As he rose in rank he met and became, in some cases friends with many of the key leaders in the Mideast. This would serve him greatly as he led forces into war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The story goes back to Lt Col Eric Antila again in 2001 when Franks was a 4-star general in charge of CENTCOM. Shortly before he died, Antila and Franks met and Antila said, "I'm proud of you, General. You were the best lieutenant I ever knew. You cared about the troops, and I've always remembered that."

This to me is the key to Franks success as a soldier and exactly why he would not even think of becoming the Army Chief of Staff. He was not a political soldier. He was a soldier's soldier.

For anyone interested in learning about the wars following 11 September 2001, this is a great book to read. And, for those interested in reading more about leadership, I recommend this book.

I'm giving Franks' book two stars because as CENTCOM Commander during the Afghan invasion and our invasion of Iraq, his perspective is historically important to know and understand. And while the book is well-written and well-edited, I choose to add no further stars for his failing to provide adequate information on the obvious questions all Americans should ask of him.

Unlike Patton, who chose results over political correctness, Franks made a name for himself by his ability to "manage up" rather than through success on the battlefield or through any unique functional excellence. His ability to manage-up, like a typical Corporate sycophant, is pervasive throughout the book.

One example is Bush and Rumsfeld's failure to convey the objective to Franks during pre-invasion planning that WMD containment was paramount. Rather than escalating that his invasion plans couldn't meet this most public objective, Franks instead doesn't ruffle any feathers, and fails mightily in two areas: 1) he leaves open the Western Border and risked the smuggling of WMDs to Syria thereby INCREASING America's risk to WMDs rather than reducing that risk, and 2) Franks, an advocate of Rumsfeld's fast and lean approach (an approach I agree with), doesn't stage enough divisions to contain men and weapons POST-invasion. Though even the average American public was aware of these risks pre-invasion, Franks doesn't challenge his authorities that his plan was incapable of minimizing WMD risk and controlling Iraq post-invasion, he then spins his failure to be a great success.

Another example of this suck-up culture in action: the U.S.S. Cole was hit on his watch in his theater of responsibility. Upon identification that al Qaeda was responsible (just prior to the Bush inauguration), Franks provides no record that he pushed Rumsfeld to attack al Qaeda or any evidence that we should act militarily against al Qaeda prior to 9/11. Instead Rumsfeld's desire to focus on missile defense goes unchallenged by the very man responsible in the Middle East for securing us from terrorists who had already suffered the loss of 17 sailors!

Franks also plays party politics in this book. He criticizes the U.S. as being seen under Clinton's watch as a "paper tiger" by terrorists, a justifiable accusation by Franks. However he fails to mention we gained this reputation under Reagan for exiting Lebanon after the Beirut bombing.

Its also sad to see him re-create reality, just like a typical politician, by claiming success in Afghanistan and Iraq prior to his retirement when in fact the battle in those two countries had just begun prior to his retirement. Neither the Taliban or Hussein had the military might to stand up to us face-to-face, the war is won in those two countries when we destroy al Qaeda, an on-going project, and pacify Iraq, which is still years away and not by getting our men into those countries, that was the easy part.

If you are looking for a perspective post-9/11 of the Middle East from a military/intelligence perspective, I recommend instead ex-CIA al Qaeda Analyst, Michael Scheuer's Imperial Hubris.

I am amazed that anyone imagines Franks as either a great general or a hero. He is neither.

He failed in Afghanistan to destroy Bin Laden (which was supposed to be the strategically decisive point, not toppling the Taliban, which was really a secondary objective). Operation Anaconda was a disaster (read Sean Naylor's excellent "Not A Good Day to Die", available on Amazon, or Sy Hersh's work in The Atlantic Monthly). Franks ignored basic Clausewitz: concentrate everything to win the decisive battle. But today, Bin Laden is still alive, making more videos than Britney Spears. The Pentagon's version of Clausewitz reads: "Concentrate everything to cover up the decisive defeat."

In Iraq, what did Franks actually accomplish? He signed off on a plan that used far too few troops to secure the peace, something Shinseki had warned about. Toppling Iraq? PLEASE. Iraq is a piss-poor Third World country with a population smaller than Canada. Their military was totally destroyed as an effective fighting force in the first Gulf War and the following 12 years of sanctions. They had no WMDs. They were no threat to anyone. ANY competent US general could have defeated their military, given US air assets. Jesus, SWEDEN could have beaten Iraq hands-down. The fact is that Franks signed off on a plan that failed to secure the peace. His "plan" led to looting, bombings, and prolonged chaos, with lots of Iraqi and coalition deaths.He complains now that "intelligence" did not warn about insurgency risks, but any officer with even a smattering of military history would have anticipated that an Arab country occupied by Americans after a military invasion might just have insurgents who aren't happy about being occupied. People are funny that way: they hate seeing their country invaded and humiliated. Bizarre, but true. Franks should have foreseen this, and he had people like Shinseki (his boss) warning clearly of the troop levels required. For Franks to go along with a bad plan says to me that he was either spineless--Napoleon and Sun Tzu both said that a general should resign rather than carry out a bad or foolish order from a superior--or he is mediocre/incompetent beyond belief. Then he split just as the insurgency got going. Gee, well done.

And how much time did Franks actually spend in-theater, near the fighting? Just curious. I got the impression he did everything by telephone from Florida, or maybe Qatar. Hardly a George Patton.

Forget Franks. History sure will.

It's only when the books come out that you begin to understand what's going on in situations like our involvement in Iraq. The news shows are worthless.

It's still too early to understand what will happen in the long run. Tommy Franks was the general in charge of Central Command who put together the military operations in Afghanistan and then in Iraq. In a shorter time than anyone expected the military was successfull.

The reconstruction efforts after the war were ignored by the administration and by Congress. We'll have to wait for the next set of books to come out before we understand this part of the war.

Tommy Franks spent most of his life in the army. After being suspended from college in 1965 he enlisted in the Army as a private. From private to four star general, this is his story.

If you have any interest in the man that ran the Afgan and Iragi war; in the tactics used; of personal conversations with world leaders; and, in the soul of America's model soldier, this is the book for you.
This is a brillianty written life story. We begin in the middle of Texas; go to college; get married; have a family; join the services; visit Vietnam; and, run two war campaigns. Each step along the way is detailed, simple to read, and full of insightful information. Never once do you say, "but why did'nt he tell us such and such?" All is told in great detail.
I especailly loved the parts about the Afgan and Iragi wars. Not because I enjoy war, but I love to hear about the mind behind the action. We are taken through months of planning followed by its execution. Each of these periods of time are well documented and detailed. What an amazing armed forces we have, what anamazing mind we have in Gen. Franks, and what a great country we live in. Do you have doubts about the war, about the plan, about the tatics? Answers are found here... and it is from the "horses mouth!" (no dis-respect meant)
We get to see what exactly makes Gen. Franks what he is and who he became. As we read in the early years, we know he is bound for something great. I am forever grateful to Franks, and the countless many others, who have the heart and mind of soldiers followed by the courage to act. They are truly amazing people.
My only complaint is the Gen. Franks did not run for President.
THIS is a must read; it is for our day; it is about our wars; it is about our country; and, its our military; all exemplified in the exceptional life of one man: Tommy Franks.

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this biography. It was thankfully free of common errors often overlooked in the haste to release a biography quickly. It also offers, contrary to the words of some reviewers, some reflections on lessons learned from various experiences (especially in the last chapter of the book) and a few critiques of the president, Mr. Bremer, and the secretary of defense.

I'll remember most the passage where early in the war in Afghanistan, Franks had the ability to confront Rumsfeld on his second-guessing and thereby earn the secretary's respect. The biography offers a look at Franks' effective sense of humor in the midst of stress, such as during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

One of the most important themes in the book is "jointness," that is, the ability for each of the branches of the military to work together effectively during combat operations. It is clear when one reads Franks' critique of Operation Desert Storm that maneuver and surprise were effectively employed, but that jointless was lacking, as evidenced by the split between ground and air operations. As a contrast, Franks takes the lessons learned from that conflict as a brigadier general, as well as the operations in Afghanistan, to employ an incredible degree of jointness in the Iraq war.

I think the biggest surprise was Franks' lack of foresight regarding insurgency from former Baathists as well as foreign jihadists. He made no mention of planning for such a contigency during his months of preparation for what he called Phase IV (postwar stability/policing and reconstruction).

This book provides some details on some air and special operations that were previously unavailable to the public. Finally, the book offers a contrast to the negative view of the war in Iraq offered by the likes of Michael Scheuer, author of Imperial Hubris.

A fantastic book, it reinforces the fact that the war in Iraq was justified. Very well written and made me proud to be an American. I plan to buy a copy for our son, who has fought in all 3 wars as a United States Marine. This would be excellent reading for all students in high school. Great history book.

If one has read Norman Schwarzkopf's book, or Colin Powell's, this one is a complete disappointment!
Mr. Franks never reflects on anything: Instead of discussing whether it was right or wrong to be in Vietnam, he describes how to build effective "bombs" from handgranades to be dropped on the Viet Cong.
The torture incidents alledgedly commited by US soldiers is worth to him one line in a book of over 550 pages.
He is completely non-critical of President Bush and of "SecDef" Don Rumsfeld, both of whom seem unfaillable to him.

I was hoping for some critical insights into Afganistan & Iray, instead, all one gets is how great and wonderful everybody (except the enemy, of course) is; and of course one learns the Army Language, which seems to consist mostly of acronyms and the f - word.

The book is not bad, it is worse: A waste of time!

Franks is an incompetent political hack. He parrots the Bush line with total disregard for the lives and welfare of his troops. How is it that he was so short sighted to think they could start pulling troops out of Iraq right after the invasion? How is it that he was able to retire when his men are all on stop loss? Then when his mean are dying in Iraq he travels around during the Bush campaign promoting another incompetent hack like himself. This is the kind of General the Bush administration likes. Say what we want you to say and think of yourself first just like we do.

It takes a special man to live the life the military requires. Not only is his a sacrifice but his family must pay the price along with him. America's pride is in men like Tommy Franks. When the cards are down they are the one's that stand up. The love of country and family is shown throughout the book. Never once was their a complaint of duty. His love for his troops was clearly explained. He is a hero, as elders we can only hope America will continue to produce men that feel as he, in my heart I beleive we will. God Bless America.

This is a book that should be read by all Americans for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, it is a great story of a great man's life. It is hard to find a man today who is deserving of more admiration and respect than Tommy Franks. He is the ideal of patriotism and loyalty, a strong and compassionate leader, a dedicated family man, and he has changed forever the way wars and battles will be fought. This book covers his entire life from childhood to the war in Iraq and the reader is able to understand how this man was formed by so many inspiring people. In addition to the great story of his life, people need to read this book because it offers a realistic insight into Iraq and Afghanistan. You are given vivid accounts of how harsh some fighting was when the media made it look "quick and easy", and you also get facts and figures on how far Iraq has progressed. Franks has tough words for the media and their protrayal of the situation, stating that they report on Iraw as being in distress when, in fact, employment, oil production, education, medical care, and infrastructure effeciency are already at 30 years highs. He offers a bottom-line analysis of the "insurgents" and their motives, while offering his view on how to prevent these problems in the future. Tommy Franks does not portray everything through rose colored glasses....he admits decisions he would like to change, he expresses shame and disappointment over certain events, and when he does not have an answer he is quite sincere in explaining his feelings. For example, he recalls his conversation with Rumsfeld when he suggested that President Bush land on the aircraft carrier with a "Mission Accomplished" banner. He knew the war was far from over, but wanted the President to publicly acknowledge the success they had in toppling Hussein's regime. He admits that if he could have seen the criticism Bush would take for his suggestion, he would have come up with a different idea. That is a small example of the candid view he gives you into his life. his thinking, and his career. Despite his few regrets and disappointments, however, he relates many more stories of good will, kindness, and hard work. He has a true love for his country and the military he served, he sincerely cares for the well being of every soldier in the field, and he has produced a book that offers a deep and realistic view into his life and the conflicts we face today. Do yourself a favor and read this book....

General Franks is a hero. It's one of those 'can't put down books' that you need to read. It does have a few swear words that would be harsh for young readers to handle but, hey, it's a book about a military guy, that's been there for 30 years or more and so what do you expect.

Some of my favorite parts of the book is when he talks about his father and what a pillar of strength he was in his life. We would do well to learn from our fathers like that and to be fathers like that. True values that endure.

Also, some of the intense battles that General Franks was in as a Viet Nam vet were just like being there. War is hell and he survived it well. He was wounded and kept going back in there. The epitome of a soldier.

For the first third of the book I thought I was going to enjoy a first rate autobiography of a top military figure. But, beyond the first 200 pages the book start to languish. Suddenly you realize that this book is more about propaganda supporting the Bush administration's decision to invade Iraq than it is about a military career. Over and over again General Tommy tells the reader that George and Don can do no wrong. He also informs us of his battle strategy using small forces that move quickly to win the war. But, lo and behold, the general up and retires before the war is won. No explanation why he decides to retire when he hasn't even yet reached 60 years old. This book just left me empty. I would not recommend it.

It's a remarkable testament to the United States that the citizenry is intrigued by the lives of our fellow pilgrims. Where else can we read such a story, or can such candor be published, without fear of government reprisal? The author's voice is true, rough, and involving--the subject is historically relevant for our immediate past, and a fine legacy of events for future generations.

Tommy Ray aka.Gen Franks..takes you into a moment by moment expose of the preparations of war, both as a soldier and as a nation. This is a powerful presentation by a true American. A must read!!!

The beginning of the 21st century sees the United States once again at war, this time with the Al Qaeda terrorist network after the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. General Franks was the commander of our forces in both the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is an honest behind the scenes look at what occurred after the attack and the difficulties in planning both wars

I was drawn to this book as I watched General Tommy Franks' willingness to sing off key during his "Good Morning America" interview with Diane Sawyer.

As an army veteran who has left the military in the 80's, I also wanted to read this book to understand something about the post-cold war army.

This is a good book on many fronts. It begins with many details about General Tommy Franks' upbringing, more details than you might expect from someone in his position to reveal; but, certainly not too much.

He was adopted and raised in both Oklahoma and Texas. He describes his parents as "ignorant," "not evil," when they generalized about Negroes.

As I read that, I could almost feel this experience from a slightly different perspective.

His father also worked one job after another. And there was a great deal of financial hardship in his upbringing.

When he did get into college, he focused more on girls, beer, and shooting the breeze, than studying - until he was on scholastic probation, and suspended for six months.

After being kicked out of college, Franks enlisted in the army. But it when someone mistaken him for being an officer, after just nine months as an enlisted man, that Franks realized that he was destined to become an officer.

And during his interview for Officer's Candidate School, Franks was told that he is not officer material. He stayed mad for three months, then he got fed up with this, and found his way into Officer's Candidate School.

It's interesting to note that he finally arrived at a point that the person who tried to make him give up on his dreams was really paying him a disguised compliment. This drove him to prove himself, over and over again.

Franks' officer's training started off in artillery, which the army calls the "King of Battle." He actually graduated as a "distinguished military graduate," demonstrating that it's not what someone else thinks of you. It's how you project yourself along your path of self-mastery.

And because of his dedication and success, the army, as it often does, paid for Franks to complete his college, in exchange for his giving the army more of his time.

Later in this memoir, it's interesting to note that by the time General Franks become the head of CENTCOM, which is responsible for 25 countries (from Kenya and Horn of Africa, north through the deserts of Sudan, Egypt and Jordan, across the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, through Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan and the former Soviet Stans). This area is what Franks' CENTCOM predecessor described as a "dangerous neighborhood."

What I was concerned about was that General Franks seemed to put a strong light on the idea that he was supportive of African-Americans. One example was when Franks and his enlisted buddy lost their money, and as Franks describes "The black elevator operator" gave them a five-dollar bill.

Other points that piqued my interest about this book were how he made learning about the military maneuvers in Vietnam interesting, by having maps in the right places, and by using just enough of the believable colloquialism that you are there, and safe, at the same time.

Reading this memoir, it was great to learn of how technology had changed military priorities. It was also great to read more about what Franks believes that various leaders think about other countries.

And when he offered this information he did so in a conversational, down home manner that makes it believable.

I wondered though why Franks needed to tell his readers that he was helped by a "black elevator operator." Is he trying to make amends for past wrong doing? Wouldn't it have been enough to just say that someone believed in him enough to give him that five-dollar bill, after he and his buddy lost their money?

Franks also seemed to have been trying to impress men when he told about how he met Rachel Welch, when he was injured and how he met her in more recent years.

I also wondered and didn't learn from this memoir what his relationship was with Colin Powell, other than their disagreement about troop force size and support of that force. Actually, in this memoir, Franks seems to believe that "He earned his right to an opinion, but had relinquished responsibility as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1993," he was basically saying, "Thanks, but you're not qualified to make this decision."


With this information, General Tommy Franks gives us another slice of history, an explanation of why the military has changed a great deal, and how Tommy Franks converted a troubled past into a love of commanding respect.

This book could be used by those who study military strategies, global history and military socialization.

It's worth reading, and honing in on the mindset of today's military - regardless of whether or not you believe we should be at war.

Former CENTCOM Commander, Gen. Tommy Franks (Ret.), has written an enjoyable memoir about his remarkable life's journey and spectacular service to our country. Anyone who appreciates our military and who wants insight to our War Against Terrorism will like Franks' autobiography.

Gen. Franks is a man from Midland Texas, and there is something truly likeable about him as a man. The book follows his life from his humble beginnings, up through his early days as an enlisted man, to his entrance into the officer ranks, to his time in the Vietnam War. From there, Gen. Franks describes his posts in South Korea, Germany and elsewhere. He also discusses his work as a General in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

The bulk of the book is devoted to his time as the head of CENTCOM. It was Franks who had this important command as America began the War on Terror, facing the world anew in the aftermath of 9/11. Gen. Franks commanded our forces in Afghanistan, providing an account of his leadership and the brave actions of our armed forces in liberating that repressed nation and eliminating a dangerous base of operations for international terrorists.

Gen. Franks second important contribution to the War on Terror was his commanding of our troops in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Again, he provides a nice overview of the course of action our military pursued in freeing that nation from an evil tyrant and making America safer. While avoiding the technical, Gen. Franks does discuss his ideas for modern warfare and contrasts them to earlier ideas that had been deployed in more recent times. The operative word: SPEED.

Gen. Franks provides some insight into his relationships with others in our nation's military. I found his discussions of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to be particularly insightful. The General also gives props to President Bush for his determination and carefulness in prosecuting the War on Terror as Commander-in-Chief.

Along the way, Gen. Franks does make some references to some hot topics of discussion in recent times. He makes a brief reference to Richard Clarke. Gen. Franks also discusses why he recommended the President declare an end to major hostilities. Perhaps in a future, paperback edition, he will add an extra chapter to dispense with the erroneous claim made by the likes of you-know-who that America somehow "outsourced" the hunt for Osama Bin Laden at Tora Bora. Gen. Franks tore this myth to pieces in a recent op-ed in the New York Times, but no mention is made of that here.

If there is a drawback, it would be in his discussions of his tour of duty in Vietnam. After reading that part of the autobiography, I came away thinking: this guy was a brave soldier who did remarkable things...BUT...he was way too modest. It may be true that the real soldiers don't blow their own horn, but I would've liked to have heard more details about all of his brave exploits and all that he did to earn his medals.

Overall, I really enjoyed General Franks' book. I was intimidated by it's large size, but I found the reading intriguing and pages flying by faster than I thought they would. I was thoroughly engaged by this book.

The first part of the book gives us Franks' background. Franks pulls no punches and shares the good and the bad. It is in the events and people of his early life that the Franks we know today was formed.

In the second part of the book, dedicated to Franks' military career, we can see the evolution of the American military and the conflict between the old guard generals and Franks' new way of doing business. Franks pulls no punches here, either. Franks opens our eyes to the realities of war in the 21st century.

The main reason to read this book is not Franks, however. American Soldier provides a behind the scenes glimpse of the strategy, planning and tough decisions that are required for security in today's world.

I enjoyed the first half of the book and struggled with the rest. Officers, in general, are unplugged and clueless once they pin on the first star. Franks is no exception. Consequently his first 20 years in the army comes across as interesting and informed, and the rest is a boring litany of political intrigues and name-dropping and hob-nobbing with the rich & famous zzzzzzzz. Generals these days are executives/bureaucrats NOT warriors like Patton.

This is the CIC of CENTCOM, the four star general we occasionally caught sight of as we watched embedded reporters' reports from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

AMERICAN SOLDIER was all I had hoped it would be. Entirely Tommy Franks' homespun voice: clear, concise & detailed, all the time lightly flavored with scenes from his domestic life & spiced with his charming & everso lame humor. This is a rough-hewn, self-deprecating tall Texan who writes poetry & who, working 24/7 on behalf of his men & his country, commands respect & loyalty. A no-nonsense tactician with a vision for the new military, who never forgot the troops he sent into harm's way, nor the politicians he had to work with.

While not controversial by today's standards of tell-all, back-biting memoirs, AMERICAN SOLDIER contains many nuggets which set the record straight about life in the military, both past & present: from the Vietnam War era & the post-action anti-military disarray & dishevelment; through the Cold War fields in Germany; to the years leading up to the Gulf War & its "CNN events"; into the most dangerous area of the world -- the Middle East. & then, when Gen. Tommy Franks was on Cyprus, the attacks of 9/11 & their aftermath; the months leading up to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, & the intel on WMD threats & the reasons for Operation Iraqi Freedom, & its engagement. All make for an informative & insightful memoir.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends AMERICAN SOLDIER as absolutely outstanding. Could not put it down! At 590 pages, it's rich with details of command & how a modern American general, his President & Cabinet prepare for & engage in war.

American Soldier is a well written and straightforward story of a fighting soldier who has had a very interesting and varied career. The stories of Franks' early days in Vietnam are interesting and insightful. He has had a number of unique opportunities in his career and one can certainly see how he ended up at CENTCOM. He does a wonderful job of explaining how modern military forces operate (or should operate). Overall it is a very enjoyable and interesting read (more so than Powell and Schwarzkopf's works).

Now having said that the latter part of the book that covers Iraqi Freedom is perhaps the weakest part or at least somewhat odd. Franks does a great job of explaining his experience during this period but one is still left scratching one's head. Either Franks is politically naive (unlikely) or isn't quite giving the total story. For example, one initial concept for the war was called the 'unilateral' option that had just US and British forces involved (basically what we ended up doing) yet Franks describes that as the least preferable option but it morphs into the final plan. The metamorphosis just comes across as somewhat odd in the end knowing what we know now. Other similar contradictions crop up. For example he mentions during planning how important it was to keep the Iraqi Army intact and get it back to work. But we didn't. He does a reasonable job of explaining how things changed over the period but does so in a way that makes you think 'Huh, if A then how B?'. I feel I need to re-read the latter half to perhaps settle these things. For all of the analysis he does try to bring to the events he seems to leave out huge swaths of political, social, and even military reality for consideration. You are left thinking, 'Yeah but what about...' One can argue he is a general and policy, grand strategic policy, and world politics should be left to the politicians, and ultimately, judged by the historians. I was left simply scratching my head with more questions unanswered than answered.

The very end of the book is almost a commercial for the Bush administration that will rub you in a
way commensurate with your own preference in that area.

Too bad Franks had to go up against one of the most brilliant war-time tactics in military history when the republican guard disppeared into the teeming masses within the cities of iraq waiting for an opportunity to fight a far superior foe in the only way that would give them an opportunity for victory.

Franks had an easy time (aside from administrative issues) because of the lack of resistance. Now, with him gone, the REAL war is taking place. I hope Franks doesn't really believe that he actually won anything. He cut and run before the real fighting began, just when America needed real leadership. And look at the current state of affairs.

What we need is noble, brilliant military leadership (not to mention more soldiers) so we can TRULY beat Iraq and bring some element of peace to that disasterous nation of misfits.