That’s probably one of the stranger post titles I’ve ever written, but I’m of course talking about reviews of Kaplan’s latest book, Hog Pilots and Blue Water Grunts: The American Military in the Air, at Sea, and on the Ground, the “sequel” to Imperial Grunts.

First comes this favorable review from HNN in West Virginia which jointly reviews the book with Imperial Grunts:

Continuing the incomparable reportage of America’s military around the globe that he began with “Imperial Grunts: The American Military on the Ground” (Random House, 439 pages, $27.95, 2005, paperback edition, 2006), Atlantic Monthly correspondent Robert D. Kaplan has followed up with the second volume of his projected series: “Hog Pilots and Blue Water Grunts: The American Military in the Air, at Sea, and on the Ground” (Random House, 448 pages, $27.95, maps, notes, bibliography, index).

Together the two books – and yes, they should be read together as I did in preparing this review – present a vivid picture of what master reporter and student of history Kaplan, in full command of his powers, with twelve books produced so far, shows the U.S. as an imperial power. That makes the Bush Administration unhappy, Kaplan notes, but the sailors, soldiers, marines and airmen he lived with embody all the elements of an empire reminiscent of the British, French and Roman ones. It may be the most benign empire, despite lapses from time to time, but it qualifies if only because of its scope.

The newest book from the prolific Kaplan, who’s been based at The Atlantic Monthly for two decades now, covers the African Sahel, Thailand, on a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine from Hawaii to Guam, Algeria with the Army’s Green Berets, Nepal, Iraq, Mali, the former Soviet Republic of Georgia and the Philippines, Guam and Las Vegas and Korea.

Nobody covers as much territory as Bob Kaplan and writes so well about everything, from the Lithuanian troops in Afghanistan bringing along a pregnant cat whose offspring take care of the mouse problem in their barracks to the attraction of American fighting men for young Filipinas – and the hatred of the wives of the married troops for same.

If you like detail, as I do, you’ll find that Kaplan knows his weapons, mentioning that Colombian Army troops have adopted the Israeli-manufactured Galil assault rifle, which uses the principles of the AK-47 but uses the 5.56 X 45 mm NATO round instead of the 7.62 X 39mm Russian AK-47 caliber. He writes authoritatively about many subjects, including food. He started out as a travel writer in the vein of Bruce Chatwin and Peter Fleming and his military writing has elements of a polished travel writer.

I try not to read other people’s reviews of a book I’m reviewing, but I couldn’t help noticing one review that called Kaplan a cheerleader who rarely if ever says anything bad about the troops with whom he’s embedded. This is a fairly accurate assessment: Kaplan reserves most of his criticism for the rear echelon types who persist in fighting yesterday’s wars, as they seem to be doing on a continuing basis in Iraq.

Most of all, Kaplan says the fighting men and women are in the military because they like the warrior lifestyle. They know Kaplan’s reputation and accept him because he doesn’t write lugubrious accounts of the poor suffering reservist or National Guardsman who wants to return to his stateside civilian job. On the contrary, states Kaplan, fighters long for a fight, including but not limited to marines.

Then from the Seattle Times comes this rather neutral review that left the reviewer “exhausted”:

Kaplan has written 11 books, mostly on military affairs, and is a longtime correspondent for Atlantic Monthly magazine. He is revered by some, reviled by others. Some say he is about as knowledgeable as they come, and an honest voice. Others say he holds the sort of aggressive mindset that led to the Iraq quagmire.

For sure, he zigs while much of the journalistic crowd zags. He also puts in the time. He spent much of his time between 2002 and 2006 embedded with the personnel he spotlights, from the depths of the ocean to sweltering desert heat.

The primary strength of “Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts” is the first-hand window into what we don’t normally see — the people instead of the policy. He admires the airmen and sailors, soldiers and Marines about whom he writes. He listens and looks into the motivation — and often tradition — behind their service. He notes trends, too, such as how the South and Midwest seem to continue to shoulder an inordinate share of the military burden, and the importance of family legacy in the military. A nuclear submarine’s chief of the boat told Kaplan: “My grandfather was a sailor on a Navy cruiser and my dad was an Army Ranger. But my grandfather was a better storyteller. I was enthralled by his tales of riding out typhoons, even if they were exaggerated.”

Kaplan ruminates about how the country’s malaise and anger over Iraq has yet to greatly influence its appreciation of the military men and women, as was the case in Vietnam. “Although our own elite may not want any part of military life, and show no warrior spirit when a military situation becomes difficult,” he writes, “nevertheless, openly mocking the idea of military service is by and large not socially acceptable.”

The hardest part of the book to stomach is Kaplan’s war gaming, which focuses on Asia. He spends considerable time considering the next threat and possible fight with China, whose economic and military rise is tipping the global balance. He discusses scenarios if North Korea falls, and myriad other hot spots in America’s never-ending “imperial” approach.

That never-ending list of “threats” and the relentless tasks placed upon the American military make “Hog Pilots” not just an exhaustive piece of work but an exhausting read.

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