Hard Choices

Looks at Britain’s role in the world from the post war to the future. Makes a great point on modern democracies more focused on short term crisis management then long term strategic planning. Throughout showing how Britain used to be a great strategist but has since greatly regressed.Highly recommend.

Peter Ricketts addresses the question of the strategic choices facing the UK through the three lenses of past, present and future. His focus is on international relations and their supporting institutions. His incisive review of the UK’s role in the development of the United Nations and NATO after the Second World War is fascinating: first as impressive structures are built on fine political judgements, then leading on to more recent challenges such as the Security Council’s role in the build up to the Iraq War. The arrival on the scene of the EU’s putative proposals for some kind of European army adds to the mix.So far so good, but the book’s central focus on where we are now turns up the heat, with every question on what needs to be done an implicit (and highly readable) criticism of a UK and international order which is failing to do it. Ricketts is arguing for the development of a serious and over-arching grand strategy, with planning based on a clear sense of long-term purpose and direction, beneath which other more specific objectives can be developed and pursued. His analysis of the structural challenges facing the West – specifically the UN, NATO, the EU and the UK government within all that – is based on an enormous wealth of professional experience. My only disappointment was the very limited amount of space devoted to the role of “soft power” within this heady brew.For the future, the challenges are exciting and frightening in equal measure. Tensions with the new economic and military power of China and its expanding role in the world; Russia, the Middle East, and Africa; and tensions in international trade, not least between the UK and the EU, and the UK’s proposed tilt towards the Indo-Pacific region: all of these need addressing. Peter Ricketts’ preceding analysis of the successes and failures of the international order help him make a convincing case for the essential requirement for the UK to develop an overarching grand strategy to set the course for the future - with some hard choices to be made.A highly readable and informative analysis by a writer with a depth of professional experience in diplomacy and national security.

The clear obvious evidence of the authors knowledge and experience

That phrase is his, not mine. It's pertinent. We need to move on. The flood of 5* reviews speaks for itself and I won't hesitate to add one. Avoiding repetition of others' insightful comments, a couple of points to make if you're thinking of reading this book.Its focus is entirely international. There is nothing here about what we need to do domestically. Well, the author is a globally focused diplomat. Also, reflecting his career, there is nothing of any substance when it comes to commerce, business and so on. A few passing mentions of 'trade' but the grimy business of business does not capture his attention. Nor does the issue of taxation, even at the global level.The book's focus is mostly on security, and how we are weakened by our lack of any coherent long term strategy. Which is valid, but there is too little attention paid to tech and cyber, whose importance it seems that he understands in the abstract but not the practical. The Chief of Defence Staff recently said that the era of warfare being about bombs and bullets is over, and here we read about stupid aircraft carriers (I say they're stupid, not the author; he likes them). Finally, the other big miss for me - again mentioned but inadequately explored - is what China's Belt and Road Initiative is really about. I suspect that, due to his lack of commercial experience, he fails to appreciate that this global projection by China of its financial and political power will profoundly reshape the world to the detriment of all but the Chinese Communist Party. I wish he had devoted more research and insight to that. But maybe I'm wrong.Nevertheless, and all this carping aside, it is a very valuable piece of work.

This is a succinct and masterly account of how the international institutions came into being that shaped Britain's role in the world since WWII, a clear eyed analysis of the challenges ahead and a fearless statement of what Britain needs to do to face them. The author writes after a life time of professional involvement in these issues and with deep concern for the needs of the next generation. He writes clearly, accessibly and without jargon. This short book is a 'must read' for politicians and students alike.