Interview with Robert Bruce Adolph, Author of Surviving the United Nations (Giveaway)

 

Robert Bruce Adolph is a retired UN Chief Security Advisor & US Army Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel.  He holds master’s degrees in both International Affairs (Middle East Studies) from American University’s School of International Service and National Security Studies and Strategy from the US Army’s Command and General Staff College.  

Adolph served nearly 26 years in multiple Special Forces, Counterterrorism, Psychological Operations, Civil Affairs, Foreign Area Officer, and Military Intelligence command and staff assignments in the US and overseas. He also volunteered to serve on UN peacekeeping missions in Egypt, Israel, Cambodia, Iraq and Kuwait. 

After he retired from active military service in 1997, he began a second career as a senior UN Security Advisor. Among his positions he served as the Chief of the Middle East and North Africa in the UN Department of Safety and Security. 

Website: https://robertbruceadolph.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-bruce-adolph-904597a

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.adolph

Where did you grow up? 

I was born in Massachusetts, but because my dad was in the military, I was raised all over the US - the eldest of nine children. At last count, and due to my Army and United Nations assignments, I have lived and worked in 17 different countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, many of which were in crisis. These varied assignments inform much of my writing. I think it is fair to say that my perspective might not be mainstream.

When did you begin writing? 

I published my first article while serving in the Army as a young captain of military intelligence. I wrote that piece because I had never done so before. Trying new things is something of a passion for me. I liked the responses to my first article, so I wrote another, and another, and I am still at it over four decades later. At last count, I have published over three hundred articles, commentaries, and book reviews. My works have appeared in over fifty newspapers, magazines, and journals, in the US, Europe, and Asia.

What is this book about? 

It’s the true story of my experiences in my humanitarian and peacekeeping missions for the United Nations. I had to deal with child-soldiers, blood diamonds, a double hostage-taking, an invasion by brutal guerrillas, an emergency aerial evacuation, a desperate hostage recovery mission, tribal gunfights, refugee camp violence, suicide bombings, and institutional corruption. My UN career brought me face to face with the best and worst of human nature, and I share it all in this book.

What inspired you to write it? 

I was deeply angry and hurt. There were twenty-two dead and over one hundred and fifty wounded in a jihadist vehicular suicide attack in Baghdad. The people who were to blame never faced accountability for their lack of action. I had to set the record straight by telling the truth, no matter the personal cost. I felt the call to action because nobody else would. I had never felt so alone and utterly vulnerable in my life.

How is it similar to other books in its genre? 

There are a lot of great books, like James Taub’s The Best Intentions and Jan Egeland’s A Billion Lives that give you an inside view of how the UN operates and its impact on the different countries it works in.

How is it different? 

As a senior United Nations Security Chief, I had a unique perspective, having previously served three volunteer uniformed tours of duty in United Nations peacekeeping in Egypt & Israel, Cambodia, and Iraq & Kuwait. It helped me understand why corruption isn’t always seen as corruption. My distinctive view of the events I experienced makes my book different from all the others.

What is the most important thing readers can learn from your book?

I believe that what may make my book a page-turner is that every word is real. Every emotion is raw. Every mistake has consequences. Contrary to popular belief, death seldom has meaning. Violence is often proven stupid. And, finally, justice is not always served. Reality, when reading it, cannot be denied and is recognized by readers. The lessons learned are invaluable.

What is up next for you? Is there anything you would like to add?

My current project is a book for people who may be interested in improving themselves via writing. Writing is now and has always been the most rigorous form of thought. There is no better exercise for the mind than writing. If your readers hope to be one day better, they should write. If they hope to influence others, they should write. If your readers hope one day to build a legacy, they should write. Bottom line – of all the things that I have accomplished in my many years, and aside from saving lives, I am most proud of my writing history.

Read an Excerpt!

I had accomplished an area study on the country before departing Sarajevo—an old habit instilled in me by military training. You see, if time permits prior to the deployment of a Special Forces team on mission, the unit would enter isolation for as much as a week prior in preparation. During that period an area study would be developed among the twelve members of the team. Essentially, an area study examines all aspects of a country or region that might impact mission accomplishment. Knowing the history of a country is often key to understanding its future. 

Sierra Leone had been established on the west coast of the African continent in 1787 by Great Britain as a home for freed slaves. It is about half the size of the American state of Illinois and became a crown colony in 1808. From that time until 1961, when it became an independent nation-state, the country was ruled by the British. In retrospect, the native population was not well prepared for self-rule. 

There was a succession of coups. Government changed hands several times. In 1991, Corporal Foday Sankoh, a former soldier of the Sierra Leone Army, began a military campaign (insurgency) against the national warlord of the moment, Major General Saidu Momoh. Sankoh led what came to be known as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). The RUF generally focused its attentions on the inland—controlling diamond-producing areas, and the Sierra Leone/Liberia border area in the east and south.

Purchase here!

Robert Bruce Adolph will be awarding

 a $25 Amazon/BN GC to

a randomly drawn winner.