Book description while american national security policy has grown more interventionist since the cold war washington has also hoped to shape the world on the cheap misled by the stunning success against iraq in 1991 administrations of both parties have pursued ambitious aims with limited force committing the countrys military frequently . The book is a lucid and insightful guide to the use of armed force as an instrument of us power central to bettss approach is a clear headed view of what constitutes us national security which should not be equated with international security and of the importance of concentrating on genuinely vital interests as distinct from all the nice to have objectives that the united . Stanford libraries official online search tool for books media journals databases government documents and more. His new book american force dangers delusions and dilemmas in national security is also a helpful supplemental reader for various international relations or 20th century history courses where conflict and strategizing are important the book is well written and well argued. American american force dangers delusions and dilemmas in national security a council on foreign relations book by richard k betts 384 pp columbia university press 2011