A 19th Century Iraq? The Philippine-American War, 1899-1902 September 30, 2007

Jamestown Project Senior Fellow Dr. David Silbey discusses and signs his recent book "A War of Empire and Frontier: The Philippine-American War, 1899-1902" . Professor Silbey's book has been called as the best brief introduction to the complex subject of the U.S. conquest of the Philippines. As America contributed to Philippine nationalism by establishing economic, social and linguistic connections, Silbey argues that the Filipino defeat came to be a patriotic touchstone. Dr. Silbey, an expert in military history, brings the lessons of the Philippines to modern-day Iraq and points out that similar issues dogged both campaigns. Among these issues Silbey includes are the inability to recognize that the war was not over simply because we thought it should be over; the difficulty in adjusting to a new kind of war; the constant interaction of domestic politics and military affairs; and the divided command structure in the Philippines. Come out to interact with one of the nation's rising stars in the field of military history. This book talk is sponsored by The Jamestown Project.

Official Website: http://www.jamestownproject.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=29&Itemid=46