Battlegrounds

H. R. McMaster argues that since the end of the Cold War, American foreign policy under successive administrations has been misconceived, inconsistent and poorly carried out. As a result, he says, America and the free world have lost ground to rivals in power and influence, while threats to security, freedom and prosperity, including nuclear proliferation and jihadist terrorism, have grown.

McMaster, a retired Army lieutenant general and the author of Dereliction of Duty, draws on 34 years in the U.S. Army, with multiple tours of duty in battlegrounds overseas, and on his 13 months as National Security Advisor in the Trump White House. He describes the efforts made during that time to reassess American policies and shift them fundamentally, and he lays out a path toward greater strategic competence and success in complex competitions with adversaries.

The book also appeals to Americans and citizens of the free world to rise above the bitterness of partisan political debate. McMaster urges readers to learn more about the most serious challenges to national and international security and to work together to secure peace and prosperity for future generations.