Marine General Tony Zinni was known as the "Warrior Diplomat" during his nearly forty years of service. His credentials as a soldier were impeccable, whether he was leading troops in Vietnam, commanding hair-raising rescue operations in Somalia, or – as Commander-in-Chief of CENTCOM – directing strikes against Iraq and Al Qaeda. But it was as a peacemaker that he made just as great a mark – conducting dangerous troubleshooting missions all over Africa, Asia, and Europe, and then servicing as Secretary of State Colin Powell's special envoy to the Middle East, before disagreements over the 2003 Iraq war and its probable aftermath caused him to resign.

They have not, however, caused him to be silent. In "Battle Ready," he is candid, thoughtful, and blunt about what is good and the bad he has seen and continues to see, "Battle Ready" follows the evolution of both General Zinni and the Marine Corps, from the cauldron of Vietnam through the operational revolution of the '70s and '80s, to the new realities of the post-Cold War, post-911 military – a military with a radically different job and radically different tools for accomplishing it. Opinions differ sharply about just what that job and those tools should be – and General Zinni makis it clear where he stands.

It is an eye-opening book – a front-row seat to a man, an institution, and a way both of war and of peace that together make this an instant classic of military history.

Battle Ready (Study in Command) is a captivating book written by Tom Clancy. This book provides a detailed study in command, offering valuable insights into military strategies and leadership. With co-authors Tony Koltz and Tony Zinni, Battle Ready offers a comprehensive exploration of the subject.