The Great Rift, James Mann
The Great Rift, James Mann
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The Great Rift
Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, and the Broken Friendship That Defined an Era

Author: James Mann

Narrator: Joe Barrett

Unabridged: 13 hr 8 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 01/14/2020


Synopsis

Dick Cheney and Colin Powell emerged on the national scene more than thirty years ago, and it is easy to forget that they were once allies. It was Cheney who pressed for Powell's appointment as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over the initial skepticism of the White House. And the two men collaborated closely in the successful American wars in Panama and Iraq during the George H. W. Bush administration.

But from that pinnacle, conflicts of ideology and sensibility drove Cheney and Powell apart. Under George W. Bush, they fell into ever-deepening conflict. Cheney personified the idea that America should use its unrivaled power to reorder the world, using military force and ignoring objections from its longstanding allies. Powell believed that the United States should operate through diplomacy as much as possible, relying on the alliances it had forged.

In this wide-ranging and deeply researched reassessment of these two major figures, James Mann explores each man’s biography and philosophical predispositions to show how and why this deep and permanent rupture occurred. Through dozens of original interviews and surprising revelations from presidential archives, he brings to life the very human story of how this influential friendship turned so sour and how their enmity colored the way America acts in the world.

About James Mann

James Mann is the author of six books on American politics and national security issues, including Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush's War Cabinet and The Obamians: The Struggle Inside the White House to Redefine American Power. A longtime correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, he is currently a fellow in residence at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He lives in Washington, DC.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Raymond

The last book I read about dealing with former Vice President Dick Cheney was Peter Baker's great work Days of Fire: Bush and Cheney in the White House which told the story of Cheney's relationship with former President George W. Bush. James Mann's book tells the story of the relationship between Ch......more

Goodreads review by ErnstG

In the first place this is a description of US foreign policy in the time of Reagan's 2nd term and the 3 Bush terms. Well researched and well told, it is a fascinating read. Secondly it is a morality tale. There once was a sensible president Bush who was fortunate enough to have Colin Powell and Dick......more

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: [URL not allowed] The Great Rift: Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, and the Broken Friendship That Defined an Era by James Mann tells about the careers of the two men and how they constantly intertwine since the 1970s. Mr. Mann wrote several books ab......more

The George W. Bush administration was infamous, controversial and, most of all, a failure. My verdict would have been taken as what my people call 'bad belle' ('ating in contemporary parlance) if it was made before that administration took office. After all, he had inherited an economy that was pois......more