In a political climate disdainful of the Washington establishment, retired Major General Arnold Punaro wears his insider status as a badge of honor. Following his military service in Vietnam, Punaro joined the staff of legendary Georgia Senator Sam Nunn as an intern, eventually becoming a top advisor and staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Yet despite his insider status, Punaro’s memoir, On War and Politics: The Battlefield Inside Washington’s Beltway, does not tell tales of lurid corruption, self-interest, or detachment from the plight of the average American. Rather, it engages readers with Punaro’s story of earnest public service. One that, in 2016, is both reassuring and disconcerting.

  Books