General Tony Zinni: Before the First Shots are Fired: How America Can Win or Lose Off the Battlefield

Presented in partnership with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, retired four-star General Anthony Zinni discusses with Chicago Council President and former NATO ambassador Ivo Daalder his new book, lessons learned about America's military operations, and what is needed for future success.

Are we destined to relive the wartime mistakes of America’s past? Only if we ignore the patterns, traps, and lessons of history, according to retired four-star General Tony Zinni.

In the current environment, rising tensions across the Asia-Pacific and crises in Eastern Europe and the Middle East may necessitate a more clear-eyed approach to American grand strategy. For Zinni, this does not mean the U.S. should “pivot” or “rebalance” toward one region, but rather maintain the agility to respond anywhere. Is existing U.S. strategy sufficient to counter known and emerging threats? Or is there a better formula for ensuring that the vast resources at America’s disposal are best positioned to enable soldiers to succeed in the field—before the first shots are fired?

Drawing from personal experience gained during Zinni's 35-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps (which ranged from combat in Vietnam to Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Central Command), Before the First Shots Are Fired: How America Can Win Or Lose Off The Battlefield examines the United States' reputation as the so-called "World's Police" and debates whether military action is always the most appropriate response to international conflicts. In addition, he analyzes the relationships between the many groups who help to guide American military policy including presidents, the Joint Chief of Staff, the United Nations, and NATO.

General Tony Zinniis a retired four-star United States Marine Corps general. He also served his country in numerous diplomatic roles, including as the U.S. special envoy to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and in missions to Pakistan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Ethiopia. General Zinni retired from the Marines in 2000, after a distinguished 39-year career that took him to more than 70 countries in many command assignments. In his final tour of duty, from 1997 to 2000, he was commander-in-chief of the U.S. Central Command.

Ivo H. Daalder is the president of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Previously, he served as the U.S. permanent representative to NATO from May 2009 to July 2013. Prior to his service as ambassador, Daalder was a senior fellow in foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution, specializing in American foreign policy, European security, transatlantic relations, and national security affairs. He served on President Clinton’s National Security Council staff as director for European affairs. Daalder was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service by Secretary Chuck Hagel in June 2013.