Powerful Peace: A Navy SEAL's Lessons on Peace from a Lifetime at War

by J. Robert DuBois

Overview

Powerful Peace is a logical arrangement of brief topics on conflict. Four progressive sections (Body, Mind, Heart and Soul) each contain a dozen, easily-digestible but hard-hitting chapters. Each chapter builds on the one before it in leading the reader to first understand that force is sometimes necessary, that persuasion is more powerful, and that some conflict is unnecessary and preventable. The goal of Powerful Peace is to open the reader’s mind about other cultures to comprehend that different does not have to mean wrong, and that an individual’s life can be richer and more enjoyable by trying out some of the concepts contained in Powerful Peace. Powerful Peace is unique and appealing. Never before has a book been written by a SEAL with the intent of reducing conflict and its painful consequences for innocent victims. Powerful Peace addresses the hot topic of American fatigue from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, today’s political environment is souring many citizens' confidence in the direction of our national leadership. Powerful Peace offers hope that real solutions are available.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781614481898
Publisher:	Morgan James Publishing
Publication date:	07/01/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	242
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

J. Robert DuBois is a security advisor who was once labeled a “smart power authority” while assisting U.S., British and Iraqi forces in Baghdad. A multilingual Navy SEAL with experience in more than thirty nations, he retired from service in 2006…then headed back into Iraq and Afghanistan to support commanders facing complex threat situations. Robert has provided his “Think like the Adversary” workshop to units in combat zones, companies to include Lockheed Martin, and government entities like the National Counterterrorism Center. He is currently a staff officer on the Deputy Secretary of Defense’s four-person Senior Integration Group (SIG), and chairs the National Security Subcommittee of the Homeland Security Foundation of America. Robert’s articles on cultural awareness and security assurance have appeared in The Counterterrorist magazine and the Compass of the National Language Service Corps, among others. He is the founder of VoDuBo Consulting and author of the blog at PowerfulPeace.net.

Table of Contents

Preface xix

A Personal Letter to Veterans and Recruits xxii

Author's Note xxiii

Acknowledgments xxv

Introduction Surreal… and so real xxvii

Section I Body 1

1 Hate September 11, 2001 3

2 Harm Blowing up baby 9

3 Loss Everybody loses 12

4 Smart power Smarter, not harder. 16

5 Restraint Cause a pause 21

6 Alternatives I won't make my wife a prostitute 26

7 Self-interest Simple needs 31

8 Dignity The ugly American 36

9 Respect Guarding killers at Abu Ghraib prison 40

10 Grievance Terrorism is only a tool 43

11 Resilience Thank you, Mr. bin Laden 47

12 Accountability Pop Quiz: Do we make our misfortune? 50

Section II Mind 55

13 Balance Kissing and killing 57

14 Context 1 On Rashids 60

15 Context 2 On rapes 62

16 Context 3 On men of God 64

17 Context 4 Inside out and upside down 66

18 Conscious bigotry A big T for tolerance 69

19 Unconscious bigotry Fed poison 72

20 Pride Don't be a roadblock 77

21 Arrogance The six blind wise men and the elephant 80

22 Ignorance When complexion kills 84

23 Understanding Cultural blindness 87

24 Change "A tremendous responsibility to humanity". 91

Section III Heart 95

25 Commonality We laugh and cry in the same language 97

26 Comfort Peace of mind 101

27 Compassion It's the children, stupid 104

28 Empathy Look through his eyes 108

29 Community The Baghdad Zoo 112

30 Family Heart is where the home is 115

31 Duty War heroes on war 118

32 Sacrifice How precious? 122

33 Crisis Unity through tragedy 125

34 Duality And 129

35 Exclusion Are you with us or against us? 132

36 Inclusion Colons 136

Section IV Soul 141

37 Tolerance In defense of faith 143

38 Holy war I'm sorry for what we've done to ourselves 147

39 Camaraderie Surrounded by armed Turks! 151

40 Appreciation Credit 155

41 Mindfulness Words as hands 158

42 Humanity Fighting fighting. 162

43 Action Entering Indonesia 166

44 Paradox War is good 170

45 Opportunity Civil affairs 177

46 Possibility Tomorrow in our hands 180

47 Proactivity Co-create your world 183

48 Commitment Leaving Iraq 186

Conclusion Hope 191

About the Author 199

List of terms and abbreviations 201

Resources 203