Warfare and defence Books

Book SynopsisThe Encyclopedia of U.S. Intelligence is the first definitive work to chronicle the history, profile prominent figures, examine world-renowned agencies, and mark key events that have shaped the present U.S. intelligence landscape. With contributions from scholars, researchers, academics, and practicing professionals, it explores issues that reflect the public interest about American intelligence at every level from the public to the private sector.The encyclopedia covers topics related to the field of U.S. intelligence practices, agencies, and history, presented in a holistic manner that reflects both academic and applied perspectives. Going beyond a basic overview of the intelligence community and its functions, the entries offer authoritative insight on historical issues and events, significant personalities, legislation, education and training, and current information about terrorism and counterterrorism. Entries detail not only the practice and profession of intelligence within the federal government, but also criminal intelligence and analysis and the organization and activities of foreign intelligence services. They reflect the interdisciplinary nature of intelligence analysis and the variety of government agencies that make up the intelligence community. This two-volume set is a must-have reference for government agencies, research and university libraries, and individuals interested in the development and practice of intelligence in the United States. Also Available OnlineThis Taylor & Francis encyclopedia is also available through online subscription, offering a variety of extra benefits for researchers, students, and librarians, including: Citation tracking and alerts Active reference linking Saved searches and marked lists HTML and PDF format options Contact Taylor and Francis for more information or to inquire about subscription options and print/online combination packages.US: (Tel) 1.888.318.2367; (E-mail) e-reference@taylorandfrancis.comInternational: (Tel) +44 (0) 20 7017 6062; (E-mail) online.sales@tandf.co.uk

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 now behind us, one critical question persists. Have policies enacted to protect us from terrorist attacks actually made us safer, or have they merely mollified the concerned public with a false sense of security? Homeland Security: What Is It and Where We Are Going combines professional experiences, personal reflections, and academic scholarship to provide a realistic assessment of current policy effectiveness.Amos Guiora's background makes him uniquely qualified to address this issue. He was the Judge Advocate for the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command and the legal advisor to a congressionally mandated task force charged with creating America's homeland security strategy under the auspices of the Committee on Homeland Security. This volume: Provides perspectives from a broad array of individuals involved in homeland security Suggests ways to prioritize limited resoTrade Review"This a policy book rather than a practitioner’s … chapter on business continuity is of most interest to corporate security readers. In his introduction, Guiora makes the crucial point that police and everyone involved in homeland security ‘also have day jobs.’ The answer is to make homeland security a help to that day job, not another burden."—Professional Security Magazine "Guiora stresses the importance of international cooperation and intelligence gathering. While focusing on the U.S. in the main, Guiora also includes valuable reflections on Canada, Israel and the UK. This timely book, in the fields of security studies and law, would benefit both experts and scholars. It is informative, thoughtful and policy-oriented."—Raphael Cohen-Almagor, University of Hull, UK and author of the popular blog Israeli Politics "I was impressed by Guiora’s narrowness of focus on the topic while acknowledging that the subject area is quite broad."—Security Management Magazine Table of ContentsWhat Is Homeland Security? Cost-Benefit Analysis. Prioritizing Risks, Threats, and Dangers. International Cooperation, Intelligence Gathering, and Threat Assessment. Immigration/Narcoterrorism. The New Face of Terrorism: Domestic Threats and Civil Liberties. Terrorism Financing. Business Continuity. Conclusion—Going Forward. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisQuantitative Intelligence Analysis describes the model-based method of intelligence analysis that represents the analyst's mental models of a subject, as well as the analyst's reasoning process exposing what the analyst believes about the subject, and how they arrived at those beliefs and converged on analytic judgments. It includes:Specific methods of explicitly representing the analyst's mental models as computational models;dynamic simulations and interactive analytic games;the structure of an analyst's mental model and the theoretical basis for capturing and representing the tacit knowledge of these models explicitly as computational models detailed description of the use of these models in rigorous, structured analysis of difficult targets;model illustrations and simulation descriptions;the role of models in support of collection and operations;case studies that illustrate a wide range of intelligence problems;And a recommended curriculum for technical analysts.Trade ReviewNo one has worked harder, or with greater enthusiasm, to understand the practical and changing requirements of the working analyst in a fast-changing and dangerous world, or has been more productive in developing useful tools to address those requirements. As this book makes clear, Ed Waltz is a respected leader in a dynamic field to which he has made, and will continue to make, major contributions. -- John Gannon, Former Deputy Director for Intelligence (DDI) at CIA, Chairman of the National Intelligence Council and Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Analysis and ProductionSynoptic, erudite, authoritative, and useful, Quantitative Intelligence Analysis by Ed Waltz is a major contribution to our understanding of both how intelligence analysts think and how that thinking can be improved, not replaced, by advanced analytic methodologies. -- Jeffrey White, Defense Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Studies; Former Chief of Regional Analysis, Defense Intelligence AgencyThis comprehensive book provides an authoritative foundation for both current and emerging intelligence analysis practices. Ed Waltz’s long career using analytic models, simulations, and games is distilled in this detailed portrayal of modern intelligence analysis methods, covering scores of techniques and case studies. This is a valuable reference book for intelligence analysts, managers, students, and educators. -- Peter Brooks, Research Staff Member, Institute for Defense Analyses

Read more less

Book SynopsisDesigned by a motorcycle racer turned small-arms engineer, George Patchett, the submachine gun that eventually became known as the Sterling was developed during World War II. Some suggest it first saw action during Operation Infatuate with No. 4 Commando, before becoming fully adopted by the British Army in 1953 as the Sterling Machine Carbine (L2A1). It was center stage for many of Britain''s post-colonial conflicts from Malaya to Kenya and from Yemen to Northern Ireland. The silenced L34A1 Sterling-Patchett entered service in 1966 and first saw action deep in the jungles of Vietnam in the hands of the elite special forces of Australia, New Zealand, and the United States during prisoner snatches and reconnaissance patrols. Employing first-hand accounts and painstaking technical analysis, this engaging account features carefully selected archive photography and specially commissioned color artwork of the submachine gun that armed British and other forces for Trade ReviewWith plenty of gun photos, period photography of it being used and colour illustrations of action scenes this is a pint-sized, handy guide to the post-WWII weapon. * The Armourer, January 2019 *A great book for weapon collectors and weapon enthusiasts. * Gun Mart *Table of ContentsIntroduction / Development / Use / Impact / Conclusion / Bibliography / Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisScenarios and special rules covering the Marianas and Palau Islands campaign.The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was intended to facilitate the recapture of the Philippines and to provide bases for the bombing of the Japanese mainland. This new Campaign Book for Bolt Action allows players to refight the fierce battles of Saipan, Peleliu, Guam, and many others. With new, linked scenarios, rules, troop types, and Theatre Selectors that provide plenty of options for novice and veteran players alike.Trade ReviewThere's a lot in this book: even if you don't play Bolt Action, it contains a great potted history with maps and uniform details and the scenarios are genuinely inspiring. * Miniature Wargames *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThomas K. Robb draws upon a wealth of previously classified documents to reveal that relations between Britain and the United States of America during Carter's presidency were riven with antagonism and disagreement even the most 'special' aspects of intelligence and nuclear cooperation were not immune to high-level political tension.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book reveals, for the first time, a hitherto unexplored dimension of Britain s engagement with the post-war Middle East: the counter-subversive policies and measures conducted by the British Intelligence and Security Services and he Information Research Department (IRD) of the Foreign Office, Britain s secret propaganda apparatus.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'The Legacy of Iraq' argues that mistakes made by the 2003 coalition and the Iraqi political elite set a sequence of events in motion that have had devastating consequences for Iraq, the Middle East and for the rest of the world.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThrough interviews with key policy practitioners on both sides of the Atlantic, this study reveals the complex picture of counter narcotics strategy in Afghanistan. It highlights the key points of cooperation and contention, and details the often contradictory and competitive objectives of the overall war effort in Afghanistan.Trade Review'Anyone who believes that western democracies should expend treasure and blood to curtail the production of illicit drugs in hostile, distant lands must read Philip Berry's work. It illuminates the confusion of purpose, lack of resources and any semblance of clear leadership among the British and American agencies in Afghanistan who were tasked with reducing that benighted country's opium harvests and rampant corruption.' - Kim Howells, Former Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; 'A very informative and insightful account of Anglo-American counter-narcotics policies in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2011 that explains how common goals were affected by close cooperation, intense competition, and strong disagreements when devising policies and actions. Berry skillfully demonstrates how flawed analyses and inadequate solutions failed to address opium production in Afghanistan.' - Pierre-Arnaud Chouvy, UMR Prodig; 'Providing the definitive account of Anglo-American counter narcotic policies in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2011, this important work sheds new light on the oscillations, resilience and limitations of the special relationship within a fluid and complex policy environment. Informed by an impressive array of key informant interviews, Berry's work provides not only a fine-grained and nuanced account but also offers lessons learned for policy design in settings where multi-actor cooperation and competition is inherent.' - David R. Bewley-Taylor, Swansea University; 'Philip Berry has provided a rare and invaluable insight into the policy making process of international drug control. Drawing on first hand interviews with many of the main protagonists and extensive documentation from both sides of the Atlantic he exposes the challenges government officials faced in the messy policy process of Afghan nation building and drug control. A must read for all interested in international relations, drugs policy and Afghanistan.' - David Mansfield, London School of Economics.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDeveloped through the prism of the U.S. presidency, and drawing on American, British, and Irish archival material, this major study examines the attitudes and involvement of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton in the Northern Ireland conflict.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is a detailed study of the role that external military crises played in the development and growth of Japanese security policies in the period following the end of the Cold War.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is a detailed study of the role that external military crises played in the development and growth of Japanese security policies in the period following the end of the Cold War.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat's wrong with targeted advertising in political campaigns? Are echo chambers a matter of genuine concern? How does data collection impact on trust in society? As decision-making becomes increasingly automated, how can decision-makers be held to account? This collection consider potential solutions to these challenges.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBullets to Ballots explores the different trajectories that the deradicalisation process can take - whether it occurs after a military victory, a military defeat, or a draw in an armed conflict between insurgent groups and incumbent authorities.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBullets to Ballots explores the different trajectories that the deradicalisation process can take whether it occurs after a military victory, a military defeat, or a draw in an armed conflict between insurgent groups and incumbent authorities.Trade Review"An exceptionally insightful, valuable, and timely book. By comparing rebel demobilization across time, regions, and ideologies, Omar Ashour's star team of contributors have produced not just a work of reference but something as rare as an academic page-turner." -Professor Thomas Hegghammer, Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and the author of The Caravan: Abdullah Azzam and Rise of Global Jihad

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen intelligence officers defect, they take with them privileged information and often communicate it to the receiving state.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book sets out a new analytic methodology: analysis by contrasting narratives (ACN), which states that defining an enemy and attempting to counter threats can contribute to the manifestation of that threat. Peter de Werd applies ACN to the problem the US faced in understanding and responding to the phenomenon of Al Qaeda in the 1990s. He demonstrates how this approach can fill a gap in intelligence studies by enhancing the understanding of complex intelligence problems and strengthening the practice of intelligence analysis. Adopting a reflexivist theoretical stance, the book underlines the importance of an integrated approach to interpretation and action, and of a continuous dialogue between intelligence and policy.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRadioactive sources such as nuclear power installations can pose a great threat to both humans and our environment. How do we measure, model and regulate such threats? Environmental Radioactivity and Emergency Preparedness addresses these topical questions and aims to plug the gap in the lack of comprehensive literature in this field. The book explores how to deal with the threats posed by different radiological sources, including those that are lost or hidden, and the issues posed by the use of such sources. It presents measurement methods and approaches to model and quantify the extent of threat, and also presents strategies for emergency preparedness, such as strategies for first-responders and radiological triage in case an accident should happen. Containing the latest recommendations and procedures from bodies such as the IAEA, this book is an essential reference for both students and academicians studying radiation safety, as well as for radiation protectiTrade Review"This new book from Isaksson and Raaf will be very useful for students and professionals engaged in the radiation protection of humans and the environment. It covers all of the fundamental theoretical aspects of radiation physics and radiation biology, but focuses primarily on the field’s practical aspects, including radiation detection, sample preparation, and dose assessment. The book also discusses current global concerns over radiation protection, such as modelling the transfer of radionuclides between large scale environments (like the oceans or soils) to small scale environments (like plants and animals).After starting with a recall of facts or basic principles, each chapter introduces the relevant theory in great detail before providing example calculations and a wide variety of exercises for the reader to utilise. Notably, the last chapter tackles emergency preparedness, discussing emergency scenarios and the remedial actions and dosimetry methods to be applied to large scale accidents. This topic is usually not covered by other books in the field - instead reserved to be discussed in restricted reports – and therefore makes this book unique. Risk communication is another very important issue that is explored, which will be of interest to decision makers and also first responders who might need to deal with public concerns. Focusing on current concerns whilst still tackling the fundamentals of the field, Environmental Radioactivity and Emergency Preparedness is a modern treatise of radiation protection and will be useful to many!"—David Broggio, Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, France"One particular challenge of nuclear and radiological technologies is preparing for failure, misuse, and disaster, and emergency preparedness is essential in limiting the impact of such events on our populations and environment. Emergency response teams, specifically experts in radiation protection, medical phyTable of ContentsSource terms. Environmental radiation protection. Environmental exposure pathways. Radiometry and sampling. Radioecology. Nuclear and radiological safety. Emergency preparedness and countermeasures/response. A short history of radiation protection.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMuch has been written about U.S. intelligence operations. However, intelligence, as it is conducted in the U.S. domestic environment, has usually been treated in a fractured and sensationalistic manner. This book dispassionately assesses the U.S. domestically oriented intelligence enterprise by first examining its individual components and then showing how those components, both federal and non-federal, work in conjunction to form an often unacknowledged structure that is more than the sum of its parts. The U.S. Domestic Intelligence Enterprise: History, Development, and Operations takes a unique, in-depth approach that assesses not only the current state of affairs but also the evolution of the domestic intelligence enterprise. To accomplish this, it examines the origins and progress of the major agencies to show why they operate in the way that they do. By providing this perspective, the book promotes an understanding of the factors to consider when developing effectTable of ContentsIntroduction. Evolution of the Political Context for Intelligence in the Domestic Setting. Components of the Domestically Oriented Intelligence Enterprise. Integration by Exigency. Human Intelligence in the Domestic Setting. Communications Intelligence. IMINT, FININT, and MASINT. Intelligence Analysis of the Domestic Environment. Disruption of Threat Actors and the Domestic Environment. Conclusion.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlvarez drives home the point that for buildings and communities located in hurricane-prone regions, it is not a question of whether the area will be impacted, but when it will be impacted. The book makes a strong case for taking responsibility to understand the vulnerabilities of buildings and structures to hurricane impacts.Timothy Reinhold, PhD, from the ForewordFocusing on coastal regions affected by tropical cyclones, Hurricane Mitigation for the Built Environment highlights vulnerability, natural hazards, risk, damage, emergency management, and hazard mitigation as they relate to the threat and occurrence of hurricanes. The product of more than 25 years of the author's experiences with post-event assessments and studies of hurricane damage, it looks particularly at common sequences of failures and oversights in planning for a hurricane that amplify the damage caused by storms.This book combines observations of actual damage to the built environment in Trade Review"I just finished reading Hurricane Mitigation for the Built Environment and realize I need to immediately run to our roof to see what shape it is in and how our equipment is anchored. Alvarez writes with such great clarity that the book is an easy read. I just ordered a second copy to share with our condominium's board of directors and maintenance staff!"—Bernard Horowitz, Ph.D., Co-Founder, V.I. Technologies, Inc.; Board Member, The Cleo InstituteTable of ContentsThe Art and Science of Hazard Mitigation. Two Hurricanes in Three Weeks. Hurricanes, Vulnerability, and Causes of Damage. Wind and Water. Hurricanes and the Built Environment. Cancun: A Mexican Gate to the Caribbean. Cyclones of Quintana Roo. Hurricane Gilbert—1988. Ten Years Later—Higher Vulnerability. Hurricane Wilma—2005. Classification and Mitigation of Damages. Future Impacts. Hurricane-Resistant Buildings. Climate Change: An Exacerbating Factor.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMany cities, towns, and municipalities across the United States have criminal organizations operating within their jurisdictions. This book gives the investigator a guide to probing, evaluating, and analyzing local criminal organizations, with the goal of disrupting and dismantling criminal operations. Subjects covered include investigative field techniques, identification of enterprise vulnerabilities, and an in-depth look into FBI task forces. Intended for law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals, Criminal Enterprise Investigation provides readers with a critical how to guide to overcoming criminal enterprise in their communities. Features: Provides step-by-step guide to dismantling criminal organizations Includes real-life examples of successful investigations Covers a wide range of criminal groups, including domestic terrorists, drug cartels, gangs, white-collar criminals, and robbery and extoTrade Review"Overall, the book achieves exactly what the author hoped to accomplish. It provides guidance on establishing a multi-agency task force, as well as investigative steps to use for dismantling a criminal enterprise." - Michael Rogan, PCI, senior investigator with Charter Communications Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction - How to Identify, Disrupt, and Dismantle an Enterprise Section I: BEGIN Chapter 2: BackgroundChapter 3: Identify the ProblemChapter 4: Build Law Enforcement Working GroupChapter 5: Basic TrainingChapter 6: Engage the Community. Section II: INTELLIGENCE Chapter 7: Define EnterpriseChapter 8: Develop an Organizational ChartChapter 9: Research Criminal ActivityChapter 10: Informants and SourcesChapter 11: FinancesChapter 12: Vulnerabilities. Section III: ACTION Chapter 13: Formalize Task ForceChapter 14: Target Leaders and their SuccessorsChapter 15: DisruptionChapter 16: DismantlementChapter 17: Warnings/Cautions

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs the global climate shifts, communities are faced with a myriad of mitigation and adaptation challenges. These highlight the political, cultural, economic, social, and physical vulnerability of social groups, communities, families, and individuals. They also foster resilience and creative responses. Research in hazard management, humanitarian response, food security programming, and other areas seeks to identify and understand factors that create vulnerability and strategies that enhance resilience at all levels of social organization. This book uses case studies from around the globe to demonstrate ways that communities have fostered resilience to mitigate the impacts of climate change.Table of ContentsIntroductionPart I: Methodology, Policy, and Early Warning SystemsMethodological Strategies and Early Warning Systems Chapter 1: Vulnerability and Resilience to Climate Change in a Rural Coastal Community Katherine J. Johnson, Brian Needelman, and Michael PaolissoChapter 2: The story of Rising Voices: facilitating collaboration between Indigenous and Western ways of knowingJulie Maldonado, Heather Lazrus, Shiloh-Kay Bennett, Karletta Chief, Carla May Dhillon, Bob Gough, Linda Kruger, Jeff Morisette, Stefan Petrovic, and Kyle Powys WhyteChapter 3: Youth based learning in disaster risk reduction education: barriers and bridges to promote resilienceVictor Marchezini and Rachel TrajberChapter 4: Household Response to Flash Flooding in the United States and India: A Comparative Study of the 2013 Colorado and Uttarakhand DisastersHao-Che Wu, Sudha Arlikatti, Andrew J. Prelog, and Clayton WukichChapter 5: Traditional and Contemporary Social Safety Nets in Rural MozambiqueMiriam S. ChaikenPolicy, Evaluation, and "Best Practice" ModelsChapter 6: Accessing Disaster Recovery Resource Information: Reliance on Social Capital in the Aftermath of Hurricane SandyJason D. RiveraChapter 7: Lessons Learned from Evaluating a Leadership Development Initiative to Foster Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation, and ResilienceMary Ann Castle, Norma Tan, James A. LaGro, Jr.Chapter 8: Let’s Talk Oil Spill Risk: Lessons Learned from Coastal Communities in British Columbia, Canada Shona VZ de Jong Chapter 9: Imagining Culture: the Politics of Culturally Sensitive Reconstruction and Resilience-Building in Post-Wenchuan Earthquake ChinaQiaoyun Zhang and Roberto E. Barrios Chapter 10: The Shared Vulnerability and Resiliency of the Fukushima Animals and their Rescuers Seven MattesPart II: ImpactS ON Resilience and VulnerabilityFood Security and LivelihoodsChapter 11: Understanding Child Nutrition Preservation After an Extreme Weather Event Disaster: Lessons from Tropical Storm Ketsana and Typhoon Parma (2009) in the PhilippinesErlidia F. Llamas-Clark and Cathy Banwell Chapter 12: Food insecurity and health disparity synergisms: Reframing a praxis of anthropology and public health for displaced populations in the United StatesPreety Gadhoke and Barrett P. Brenton Chapter 13: The Dynamics of Vulnerability and Adaptive Capacity in Southern EthiopiaLogan Cochrane and Yishak Gecho Chapter 14: The Production of Material Goods as Resilience Adaptation by Impelled Migrants in MalawiMichèle Companion Gender and Social InequalityChapter 15: Gender Dimensions in Disaster Management: Implications for Coastal Aquaculture and Fishing Communities in the Philippines Morgan Chow, Lori A. Cramer, and Hillary EgnaChapter 16: Women’s Leadership in a Texas Forest Fire and Recovery: How Gender Roles and Assumptions Empower and Constrain Women and Men Post-Disaster in a Rural Southern TownJosephine Nummi and Kathryn Henderson Chapter 17: Gender dynamics and disasters in Zimbabwe: a case of Tokwe Mukosi floodingCatherine Bwerinofa and Manase Kudzai ChiweshePart III: Community-Based Factors That Impact Resilience and VulnerabilityChapter 18: Vulnerability and Tourism Development: Fostering the Capacity of Resilience in the Context of Climate ChangeSara E. Alexander Chapter 19: Why Isn’t There a Plan? Community Vulnerability and Resilience in then Latrobe Valley’s Open Cut Coal Mine TownMichelle Duffy, Pamela Wood, Sue Whyte, Susan Yell, and Matthew Carroll Chapter 20: Best Family Rwanda: a Case Study on Religious Sources of ResilienceSharon Kim and David KimChapter 21: Grassroots and Guerrillas: Radical and Insurgent Responses for Community ResilienceNatalie Osborn, Deanna Grant-Smith, Edward MorganChapter 22: "Prepper" as Resilient Citizen: What Preppers Can Teach Us About Surviving DisastersChad HuddlestonChapter 23: All the Years Combine: The Expansion and Contraction of Time and Memory in Disaster ResponseA.J. Faas

Read more less

Book SynopsisModeled after his successful Cases in International Relations, now in its seventh edition, revered author and scholar, Don Snow, presents an engaging and novel approach to national security. A series of brief case studies representing current and controversial policy problems facilitates deliberation and debate about competing policy ideas, and encourages undergraduate students to think critically about issues of national security. Cases include new strategies for containing the terrorist threat, implications of President Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Agreement, and the increasingly adversarial relations with Russia, focusing on Russian expansionism in its geographical domain and interference in the 2016 American presidential election as national security problems for America.Trade Review“A one-stop-shop for thoughtful discussions on contemporary security topics that will help introductory and intermediate-level students understand and engage in the challenges of our times.” -- Tom Moriarty, American University“The best textbook designed specifically to provide students with an informed foundation for developing reasoned judgments about national security issues and debates.” -- Jordan Tama, American University“A useful collection of contemporary case studies to enrich student learning on national security issues.” -- Matthew Zierler, Michigan State UniversityTable of ContentsPreface Chapter 1 Starting at the Beginning: Basic Dynamics and Concerns Part I Strategic Dynamics Chapter 2 Asymmetrical Warfare: The New American Way of War? Chapter 3 The Evolving Face of Terror: The Dilemmas of Terrorism Strategy Chapter 4 Nuclear Deterrence Redux: The New Shadow of the Mushroom-Shaped Cloud Chapter 5 Dealing with Nuclear Proliferation: The NPT and BMD Approaches Chapter 6 Two Scorpions in a Bottle: Dealing with the DPRK Chapter 7 The Great Satans: The U.S., Iran, and Nuclear Weapons Part II Geographic Spotlights Chapter 8 The Continuing Middle East Riddle: Jerusalem and the Palestinian State Chapter 9 America’s Longest War: The Afghanistan Trap Chapter 10 Syria: The Perfect Maelstrom Chapter 11 Russia: Dealing with a Long-Time Rival Chapter 12 China: Dealing with the Frenemy with a New Face Chapter 13 Africa: The New Battleground? Part III Political Context Chapter 14 How Much of What Is Enough? Kinds and Levels of U.S. Force Chapter 15 Military Personnel: Where Do the Soldiers Come From? Chapter 16 Cyber Security: The Newest Frontier Chapter 17 Force Multiplication: Drone Warfare or Drone Terror Conclusion Chapter 18 Quo Vadis: Facing the National Security Future

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first edition of The New Era in U.S. National Security relied upon both primary and secondary sources on national security, as well as the author’s first-hand knowledge. In addition to academic sources, chief executive officers of fortune 500 firms, experts on national security within and outside government, investment bankers, and experts in cybersecurity, transnational crime, supply chain logistics, and public policy were interviewed and quoted in the text. These same sources and their reassessments are available for the second edition. The topics covered in the book are emerging issues. Currently, the most reliable body of literature is the property of private entities and classified government documents, which are largely not available to students. By contrast, most course texts are readers that offer a selection of views on diverse but relevant topics, but most have a mere few chapters on new security challenges. Without an informative core text and reference guide, students have to rely upon these compendia, popular news articles, and electronic media for study and research. The second edition of The New Era offers students and instructors a whole cloth, insightful perspective on the dynamic, changing patterns and orientations unleashed by the processes of globalization, technology, and the emerging “Second Cold War” era.Table of ContentsPreface 1. The National Security Establishment The United State and the World Stage A Brief History of the Structure The New Reorganization Budgeting, and Planning in Support of Policy Striking a Balance between Domestic and Foreign Affairs Conclusion 2. Policies and Process and the New Geopolitics Evolution of Strategy An Era of New Weaponry and Geopolitics The Role of the Private Sector The Status and Future of DHS Conclusion 3. Irregular Warfare and Information Age Weapons Asymmetric Warfare A World of Weapons The Phenomenon of Social Media The Weaponization of Social Media Audience Mapping, Targeted Messaging, and “Kompromat” The Weaponization of Information Conclusion 4. Conflict and Economics Technology, the Information Age, and the Costs of War Global Economics and Migration The Rise of Kleptocracy Non-Asymmetric Warfare Conclusion 5. A Vast and Contested Domain Information Technology vs Operational Technology National Critical Infrastructure The Election Infrastructure Big Data Machine learning Artificial Intelligence & Autonomous Weapons Systems Conclusion 6. Cyberspace and Conflict What is Cyberspace? The Inception The Militarization The Malware Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) The Onion Router (TOR) The Deep and Dark Web Conclusion 7. China The Belt and Road Initiative A Cyber Cold War “Kill with a Borrowed Sword” The Great Firewall and the Great Cannon A Sprawling National Security Environment Conclusion 8. Russia Cold War 2.0 The Merger of Politics and Criminality Active Measures and Cyberwarriors Ukraine, 2014 United States, 2016 Tactical Nuclear Weapons Conclusion 9. The Maritime Supply Chain Vast, Diverse, and Anarchic Containerization Targeting, Screening, Scanning, and Inspecting Trusted Shippers and Layered Defenses Calculating the Dangers and the Risk An Opaque and Expanding Environment Choke Points Conclusion 10. Politics, Crime, and Terror Crime and Terrorism: Differences and Similarities Crime and Terrorism: The Nexus West Toward Chechnya and Russia The Tri-Border Area (TBA) Chinese Triads Conclusion 11. Chemical, Biological, Radiological & Nuclear Threats Chemical Warfare Resurgence in Chemical Weapons Chemical Agents Threats and Countermeasures Non-Terrorist Threats Biological Threats Biological Agents Synthetic Biology Biosecurity Policy Radiological and Nuclear Threats What is radioactivity? So, You Want to Build a Bomb? The Dirty Bomb Alternative Controlling proliferation Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe book gives a practical introduction to the concepts, structure, politics, law, hazards, threats, and practices of homeland security everywhere, focusing on US homeland security, Canadian public safety, and European domestic security. It is a conceptual and practical textbook, not a theoretical work.Table of ContentsDetailed Contents List of Figures, Tables, and Photos Preface & Acknowledgements About the Authors Chapter 1: Conceptualizing Homeland Security Chapter 2: Structuring Homeland Security Chapter 3: Laws of Homeland Security Chapter 4: Transnational Crime Chapter 5: Terrorism Chapter 6: Chemical, Biological, Nuclear, Radioactive, Explosive, and Energy (CBNREE) Hazards Chapter 7: Natural Risks Chapter 8: Intelligence Chapter 9: Emergency Management Chapter 10: Physical Site and Infrastructure Security Chapter 11: Information, Communications, and Cyber Security Chapter 12: Immigration and Border Security Chapter 13: Transport Security Glossary Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Battle for Pakistan showcases a marriage of convenience between unequal partners. The relationship between Pakistan and the United States since the early 1950s has been nothing less than a whiplash-inducing rollercoaster ride. Today, surrounded by hostile neighbors, with Afghanistan increasingly under Indian influence, Pakistan does not wish to break ties with the United States. Nor does it want to become a vassal of China and get caught in the vice of a US-China rivalry, or in the Arab-Iran conflict.Internally, massive economic and demographic challenges as well as the existential threat of armed militancy pose huge obstacles to Pakistan's development and growth. Could its short-run political miscalculations in the Obama years prove too costly? Can the erratic Trump administration help salvage this relationship?Based on detailed interviews with key US and South Asian leaders, access to secret documents and operations, and the author’s personal relationships and deep knowledge of the region, this book untangles the complex web of the US-Pakistani relationship and identifies a clear path forward, showing how the United States can build better partnerships in troubled corners of the world.Trade ReviewNawaz has produced a book essential to anyone’s South Asia library. . . . [In] writing with serious intent, Nawaz has created, perhaps, inadvertently, another dark, tragic comedy of duplicity, chaos, misunderstanding, miscommunication, backstabbing, and betrayal. . . . [As] his book illustrates, Pakistan has yet to make [the right] choices and is today as was once described of late 19th century Prussia—not a country with an army but an army with a country. * South Asia Journal *This book should stimulate a much-needed debate among policy circles in Washington and Islamabad. It is a must-read for policy makers, top military officers, diplomats, academics and scholars, not just in the two countries that are its focus, but throughout the globe. * Naya Daur *In this seminal work . . . Shuja Nawaz explores what Pakistan’s war against itself means for the new version of the Great Game now being played in Central Asia, for Pakistan, the US, and the alliance between them. . . . It is a remarkable work by an acclaimed writer on the Pakistani military. . . . It also sheds light on the deep involvement of the US and UK in Pakistan’s internal political battles. The horizontal and vertical fragmentation of the society along political, religious and ethnic lines, which has intensified since 9/11, poses the most serious problem for Pakistan. . . . What makes The Battle For Pakistan substantive and authoritative is that it is based on interviews with senior Pakistani and US military officials directly involved in policymaking during that period. The author has unique access to the centres of power in the US and Pakistan, both of which he considers home. That makes the book extremely objective, covering all sides and dimensions of a roller-coaster relationship. * Dawn *A must read for anyone who seeks to understand the complexities of forming and executing foreign policy any place, but especially in South Asia. Written with insight, detailed knowledge, keen analysis, and true conviction. -- Amitai Etztoni, The George Washington University, author of Reclaiming PatriotismShuja Nawaz's important book is as timely as tomorrow's headlines. He's delivering vital guidance to US policy makers―surprisingly misinformed about ties with Pakistan―while, for general readers, he's telling a suspenseful story of diplomacy and intrigue in the toughest of neighborhoods. No one is more authoritative than Mr. Nawaz on the US–Pakistani political-military relationship, and that makes the choices he lays out vital for all of us to understand. -- Derek Leebaert, author of Grand Improvisation: America Confronts the British Superpower, 1945–1957Packed with inside information from the ruling circles in both Pakistan and the United States, this book is essential reading for everyone trying to understand the international community’s most tortuous bilateral relationship. -- Owen Bennett-Jones, journalist and author of The Bhutto Dynasty

Read more less

Book SynopsisNeack provides a thorough overview of how states pursue security against violence, how this pursuit puts those same states and others in the international system into more or less constant threat of violence, and the implications of state-security practices for human beings who are, always, the victims of this violence. Table of ContentsPrefaceChapter 1. The Elusive Nature of SecurityA First Case: China and the UyghursElusive Security: States First, People LastWhat Does It Mean To Be Secure?Defining SecurityA Second Case: Australia and the Afghan Boat PeopleStates First, International Obligations SecondNational, International, and Human SecurityChapter 2. National SecurityWhat is Security?National Security: States, Not NationsThe Sovereign StateWhat Sovereignty AllowsLimits on Internal and External Security PracticesStates ResurgentChapter 3. Internal SecurityDefining Internal SecurityWho is the State?What is the Purpose of the State?All States Tend Toward Maximalism When ThreatenedSigns of TroubleChapter 4. The Unilateral Pursuit of External SecurityThe Security DilemmaDefense and DeterrencePreemptive Self-DefensePreventive ForceGray Zone and Hybrid ConflictPreventive WarChapter 5. International SecurityInternational Security and OrderThe Liberal International Security SystemThe Great Power Balance-of-Power International Security SystemCompeting Orders: The United States versus ChinaChapter 6. Bilateral and Multilateral Security ArrangementsSecurity Arrangements Within the UN Security SystemLiberal Security ArrangementsImposed Security ArrangementsTransactional Security ArrangementsChapter 7. The United Nations International Security SystemProtecting International Peace and SecurityThe Security Council and Measures Short of ForceThe Security Council and Collective Security ActionsGeneral Assembly Emergency MeetingsUnited Nations PeacekeepingUN-Approved Peace Enforcement OperationsUN-Regional Organization Hybrid Peace OperationsChapter 8. Human SecurityDefining Human SecurityThe Geneva ConventionsThe Post-Cold War Human Security AgendaProtecting People from Large-Scale KillingCivilian ProtectionThe Future of Human SecurityChapter 9. Conclusion: Democracy, Resilience, and ImaginationAbout the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisUnmanned aircraft systems (UASs) have played an important role in warfare over the past two decades, including to conduct counterterrorism operations. To better understand the utility of UASs, this latest report from CSIS adopts a comparative case study approach and examines the Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020, Ukraine war in 2022, and Northern Edge-21 exercise in the Indo-Pacific in 2021. These cases demonstrate that UASs have been increasingly integrated into combined arms warfare, a major change from the past. In addition, UASs are likely to play an increasingly important role in several types of missions as part of strategic competition and warfare with such countries as China and Russia.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis CSIS report asks two main questions. How is the Russian military thinking about the future of warfare? How is the Russian military thinking about force design over the next five years? The report has several findings. First, Russian military thinking is dominated by a view that the United States is—and will remain—Moscow’s main enemy (главный враг) for the foreseeable future. This sentiment will likely drive Moscow’s desire to reconstitute its military as rapidly as possible, as well as strengthen nuclear and conventional deterrence. Second, Russian analyses generally conclude that while the nature of warfare is unchanging, the character of future warfare will rapidly evolve. Adapting will require Russia’s cooperation with other countries, such as China, in areas like long-range, high-precision weapons; unmanned systems; emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence; and the utility of hybrid and irregular warfare. Third, Russian political and military leaders are committed to a major reconstitution of the Russian military—including the army—over the next several years.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIf it seems to you that Barack Obama and Joe Biden have weakened America and emboldened our enemies, you're not alone. But Senator Cotton explains that their failures aren't just incompetence or bad luck-it's decline by design. Only the Strong reveals the untold inside story of how progressive ideologues and Democratic politicians abandoned the American tradition of strength, pride, and honor. From the beginning, early progressives like Woodrow Wilson repudiated our Founding in favor of globalist fantasies abroad and big government at home. By Vietnam, leftists had begun to blame America first for the world's problems-just as Barack Obama did for eight years as he apologized and sought to atone for America's supposed sins. Along the way, Democrats have sold out America's sovereignty and hollowed out our military to restrain American power. Even when Democrats have acted tough, it usually ends in disaster, from John Kennedy's debacle at the Bay of Pigs to Bill Clinton's fiasco in Mogadishu to Joe Biden's humiliating retreat from Afghanistan.While offering a timely warning of the dangers ahead and new stories from Senator Cotton's service in the Senate and the Army, Only the Strong also provides a formidable and urgent roadmap to restore American strength before it's too late. Because only the strong can survive in a dangerous world and only the strong can preserve their freedom.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"This is an important book for the country." -- Sean HannityIf you know one thing about Chris Miller, it's that he was President Donald Trump's final Secretary of Defense, elevated to that position in the days after the 2020 election. If you know a second thing about Chris Miller, it's that he oversaw the U.S. Armed Forces during one of the most controversial and tumultuous periods the military has experienced in decades, culminating in the shocking events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Yet Chris Miller is no political partisan. On the contrary, Miller has spent his adult life in the crosshairs of America's most dangerous enemies--from Middle Eastern deserts to the bowels of U.S. intelligence agencies--and emerged as one of the leading national security minds of his generation.Needless to say, Chris Miller has stories to tell. In Soldier Secretary, he reveals for the first time everything he saw--in a book that is candid, thought-provoking, and like that of no Secretary of Defense before him. This book is not just the inside story of what happened during the Trump administration--it's the inside story of what happened to America, its military, and its institutions during the two decades after September 11, 2001.Part badass, part iconoclast, Miller is an irreverent, heterodox, and always-fascinating thinker whose personal journey through war and the White House has led him to some shocking conclusions about the state of American power in 2021. With a perspective that will surprise and interest both Republicans and Democrats, Miller argues for a radical rethinking of U.S. national security strategy unlike anything since the creation of the joint armed forces in the 1980s. He offers a roadmap for how the United States can win in the era of unrestricted warfare by shedding the bloated defense bureaucracy, bringing American forces home from endless conflicts, renewing our national unity, and beating China at its own game.Miller is a true American warrior whose incredible journey from Iowa to Afghanistan to Iraq to the White House endeared him to the troops, prepared him for the unprecedented crisis of January 6, and left him deeply concerned about the future of our military and the future of our nation.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe captivating account of how Clint Lorance, a soldier who became a scapegoat for a corrupt military hierarchy, was falsely charged with war crimes, imprisoned, and eventually pardoned by President Trump. While out on patrol in Afghanistan, Clint Lorance learned that two men, both suspected suicide bombers, were speeding toward a crowded city on motorcycles. Lorance couldn't see them, but his men on the ground had clear shots. After a split second, he gave the order to shoot, killing both men. In the months that followed, Lorance was arrested by the military and put on trial for war crimes. Prosecutors claimed that the order he gave constituted an act of premeditated murder, and they sentenced him to twenty years in prison. In Stolen Honor, Lorance finally tells the story of this event and the trial it led to -- how the prosecutors declined to admit clear-cut evidence that would have exonerated him, how the men in his unit turned on him, and why he still believes he was right to give the order to shoot. It is a story that stretches from small-town America to the deserts of Afghanistan, from the White House to the tiny jail cell where Lorance spent six years waiting on his exoneration, which finally came when President Trump pardoned him in 2019. The book also discusses Lorance's plans to attend law school and help reform the broken military justice system.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince the end of the Cold War, the idea of human rights has been made into a justification for intervention by the world's leading economic and military powers-above all, the United States-in countries that are vulnerable to their attacks. The criteria for such intervention have become more arbitrary and self-serving, and their form more destructive, from Yugoslavia to Afghanistan to Iraq. Until the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the large parts of the left was often complicit in this ideology of intervention-discovering new "Hitlers" as the need arose, and denouncing antiwar arguments as appeasement on the model of Munich in 1938. Jean Bricmont's Humanitarian Imperialism is both a historical account of this development and a powerful political and moral critique. It seeks to restore the critique of imperialism to its rightful place in the defense of human rights. It describes the leading role of the United States in initiating military and other interventions, but also on the obvious support given to it by European powers and NATO. It outlines an alternative approach to the question of human rights, based on the genuine recognition of the equal rights of people in poor and wealthy countries. Timely, topical, and rigorously argued, Jean Bricmont's book establishes a firm basis for resistance to global war with no end in sight.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo armies prepare for war. Thor, surrounded by crackling lightning, leads the assault of a horde of Viking berserkers. Preparing to receive this charge stands a wall of grim-faced, determined Spartan hoplites, commanded by Ares himself… Of Gods and Mortals is a skirmish wargame that gives players the opportunity to command the greatest heroes, warriors and monsters of legend – and the gods and goddesses that ruled over them. Whether you want to lead the forces of Greek, Egyptian, Celtic or Norse mythology to battle, or build your own pantheon, Of Gods and Mortals presents everything you need. Each player takes control of a god, a handful of legendary characters and a number of mortal troops, forming a warband that must work in harmony to succeed. Although the gods are incredibly powerful, they are only as strong as the faith of the mortals who follow them – if their worshippers are cut down, gods become weaker, and if a deity is vanquished in combat, its followers may flee the field of battle. Success lies in employing a strategy that uses all your troops, from the mightiest to the most humble, as effectively as possible.Table of ContentsIntroduction/ Rules/ The Pantheons

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter the British garrison of Fort William Henry in the colony of New York surrendered to the besieging army of the French commander Marquis de Montcalm in August 1757, it appeared that this particular episode of the French and Indian War was over. What happened next became the most infamous incident of the war – and one which forms an integral part of James Fenimore Cooper’s classic novel The Last of the Mohicans – the ‘massacre’ of Fort William Henry. As the garrison prepared to march for Fort Edward a flood of enraged Native Americans swept over the column, unleashing an unstoppable tide of slaughter. Cooper’s version has coloured our view of the incident, so what really happened? Ian Castle details new research on the campaign, including some fascinating archaeological work that has taken place over the last 20 years, updating the view put forward by The Last of the Mohicans.Table of ContentsOrigins of the campaign /Chronology /Opposing commanders /Opposing armies /Orders of battle /Opposing plans /The campaign /Aftermath /The battlefields today /Further reading /Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe war on drugs has failed, but consensus in the international drug policy debate on the way forward is missing. Amidst this moment of uncertainty, militarised lenses on the global illicit drug problem continue to neglect the complexity of the causes and consequences that this war is intended to defend or defeat. Challenging conventional thinking in defence and security sectors, Transforming the War on Drugs constitutes the first comprehensive and systematic effort to theoretically, conceptually, and empirically investigate the impacts of the war on drugs. The contributors trace the consequences of the war on drugs across vulnerable regions, including South America and Central America, West Africa, the Middle East and the Golden Crescent, the Golden Triangle, and Russia. It demonstrates that these consequences are 'glocal'. The war's local impacts on human rights, security, development, and public health are interdependent with transnational illicit flows. The book further reveals how these impacts have influenced the positions of governments across these regions, with significant ramifications for the international drug control regime. Crucially, it shows that, at a time when global order is in flux, critically evaluating the regime's securitisation through the war on drugs provides key insights into other global governance realms.Trade Review'A comprehensive and timely assessment which consolidates the various strands of the drug policy debate from both security and development perspectives. Engaging with regions which have not been thoroughly investigated, it is innovative, ambitious and original.' -- Sasha Jesperson, research analyst, Royal United Services Institute, and author of 'Militarised Responses to Transnational Organised Crime: The War on Crime''With important analyses, plausible theoretical insights, and a multifaceted assessment of the current "state of play," this book is a valuable contribution to the literature. Required reading for those wishing to acquire a comprehensive view of the current International Drug Control Regime.' -- William B. McAllister, Chief of the Special Projects Division, State Department Office of the Historian, and author of 'Drug Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century''An essential collection that not only highlights the true costs of the overly securitized global War on Drugs, but more importantly, offers urgently needed new perspectives in the debate over what could, and should, come next.' -- Peter Tinti, Senior Research Fellow, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime'An enlightening, engaging effort to unpack the complexities of policymaking on drugs and nurture collective reflection on the need for more nuanced, people-centred and development-oriented approaches to drug policies. A must-read in a critical moment for the drug policy debate and beyond.' -- Deborah Alimi, independent consultant, Daleth research, and researcher, Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn original contribution to international ethics and humanitarian intervention, Westphalia From Below draws on history and IR theory to offer a fresh analysis of an insufficiently understood subject. This new history of the lead-up to 1648 exposes the mythical and problematic nature of the Peace of Westphalia and its implications for international politics, questioning the impoverished visions of this landmark treaty that influence IR theory and humanitarian protection to this day. IR is infused with perspectives from the humanities based on reconstructions of the mentalities of the Thirty Years' War. Scholars tell us that the Westphalia settlement instituted an absolutist understanding of sovereignty as a right and a strict principle of non-intervention, which was only later displaced by the 'radical innovation' of humanitarian intervention—but Thomas Peak exposes this myth as a fabrication that cannot sustainably be upheld as a normative precept. He shows from the ground up that, in fact, Westphalia established an order grounded in human dignity, in which sovereignty and intervention were not opposed. This true legacy of Westphalia has important and valuable connections with recent conceptions of international politics, particularly the legitimacy of intervention on humanitarian grounds. Peak's study is as relevant as it is refreshing.Trade Review'Finally, International Relations is laying nonsensical ideas of a "Westphalian System", allegedly based on post-1648 principles of European state-sovereignty, to a peaceful rest. A satisfying book for historians, and a ground-breaking one for the rest of the bunch.' -- Martin Wrede, Professor of Early Modern History, Grenoble Alpes University, and author of The Thirty Years' War: The First European Conflict'Challenging received wisdom that Westphalia's emphasis on internal sovereignty is incompatible with humanitarian intervention, Peak's argument is interesting, original and compelling. His analysis of "dignity" is insightful and, in turn, the argument that a state's failure to preserve dignity undermines its claim against intervention in its affairs is persuasive.' -- Cécile Fabre, Professor of Political Philosophy, University of Oxford'In this beautifully written book, Thomas Peak shows that Westphalia sought to establish an order grounded not in absolute sovereignty, but the securing of human dignity. His argument for how this vision of dignity can reshape humanitarian intervention debates today is compelling.' -- Luke Glanville, author of Sharing Responsibility: The History and Future of Protection from Atrocities'A compelling and enlightening read for anyone who has been reflecting on sovereignty and its effect on international responses to mass atrocities. With its learned approach to history, this book provides a refreshing perspective on humanitarian intervention, challenging conventional wisdom on the normative underpinnings of sovereignty.' -- Federica D’Alessandra, Executive Director, Programme on International Peace and Security, University of Oxford

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn a 1965 letter to 'Newsweek', French writer and academic Bernard Fall (1926-67) staked a claim as the 'Number One Realist' on the Vietnam War. This is the first book to study the thought of this overlooked figure, one of the most important experts on counterinsurgency warfare in Indochina. Nathaniel L. Moir's intellectual history analyses Fall's formative experiences: his service in the French underground and army during the Second World War; his father's execution by the Germans and his mother's murder in Auschwitz; and his work as a research analyst at the Nuremberg Trials. Moir demonstrates how these critical events shaped Fall's trenchant analysis of Viet Minh-led revolutionary warfare during the French-Indochina War and the early Vietnam War. In the years before conventional American intervention in 1965, Fall argued that--far more than anything in the United States' military arsenal--resolving conflict in Vietnam would require political strength, willpower, integrity and skill. 'Number One Realist' illuminates Fall's study of political reconciliation in Indochina, while showing how his profound, humanitarian critique of war continues to echo in the endless conflicts of the present. It will challenge and change the way we think about the Vietnam War.Trade Review‘More than a biography, this is a meticulous, painstaking, deeply detailed account of 30 years of Vietnam’s agony at the hands of both the French and the Americans.’ -- Asia Sentinel'Moir has done the field of Vietnam War history a service by providing such a thorough treatment of Fall’s important and fascinating life … Soldiers and scholars can better understand the capabilities needed to succeed in these kinds of wars by reading this book.' -- Strategic Studies Institute'Moir shines with this timely, relevant appraisal of Bernard Fall, the most perceptive critic of French and American political-military operations in Southeast Asia during the Cold War era. A superb evaluation of Fall and his influential scholarship on revolutionary warfare.' -- Gregory A. Daddis, USS Midway Chair in Modern U.S. Military History, San Diego State University'Original and exceptionally well-researched, this will be popular amongst scholars and readers of the Second World War and the Cold War.' -- Craig Whiteside, Associate Professor of National Security Affairs, U.S. Naval War College, and a co-author of The ISIS Reader'Moir's book illuminates the contributions of a very influential figure and fills a major gap in the historiography of the Vietnam War, the history of military thinking on Revolutionary Warfare. Enlightening.' -- Sophie Quinn-Judge, author of Ho Chi Minh and The Third Force in the Vietnam War'Bernard Fall remains one of our foremost up-close analysts of the long struggle for Vietnam. In this superb study he gets the nuanced and incisive treatment he deserves.' -- Fredrik Logevall, Professor of History, Harvard University'"To win the military battle but lose the political war could well become the U.S. fate in Vietnam," observed Bernard Fall in 1962. In Number One Realist, Nathaniel Moir gives us a superbly rich biography, combined with an illuminating history of irregular and revolutionary warfare, subjects on which Fall was one of the twentieth century’s pioneering authorities. This is much more than a contribution to the history of that long and complex war in Indochina, the end of which Fall did not live to see. It is a profound study of war as a perennial human phenomenon and how best to think and write about it.' -- Niall Ferguson, Milbank Family Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford, and author of Kissinger, 1923-1968: The Idealist

Read more less

Book SynopsisDespite attracting headlines and hype, insurgents rarely win. Even when they claim territory and threaten governmental writ, they typically face a military backlash too powerful to withstand. States struggle with addressing the political roots of such movements, and their military efforts mostly just 'mow the grass'; yet, for the insurgent, the grass is nonetheless mowed--and the armed project must start over. This is the insurgent's dilemma: the difficulty of asserting oneself, of violently challenging authority, and of establishing sustainable power. In the face of this dilemma, some insurgents are learning new ways to ply their trade. With subversion, spin and disinformation claiming centre stage, insurgency is being reinvented, to exploit the vulnerabilities of our times and gain new strategic salience for tomorrow. As the most promising approaches are refined and repurposed, what we think of as counterinsurgency will also need to change. The Insurgent's Dilemma explores three particularly adaptive strategies and their implications for response. These emerging strategies target the state where it is weak and sap its power, sometimes without it noticing. There are options for response, but fresh thinking is urgently needed--about society, legitimacy and political violence itself.Trade Review'[A] thoughtful history … with an impressive range of examples.' -- Foreign Affairs‘Contributes to the understanding of contemporary terrorism and would form an essential component of any curriculum for understanding both insurgency and counterinsurgency.’ -- Parameters‘Readers interested in the future of insurgency, disinformation, and contemporary challenges to democratic nation-states will find this a valuable study.’ -- Air University Press'[The book] sets the stage for further academic, policymaker and military debates. This work is relevant for diverse readers.' -- International Peacekeeping'One of the most important books on insurgency and political violence to appear in decades. Ucko's analysis, based on historical vignettes, is clear and compelling. This book will help readers understand how to think about insurgent and terrorist organizations as the first step toward developing strategies in response to them.' -- H.R. McMaster, former US National Security Advisor and author of 'Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World'.'Iraq and Afghanistan may be past, but the threat of insurgency remains and will be weaponized by adversarial states. Ucko provides a strategic blueprint for how to defeat the twenty-first-century insurgent, challenging orthodox assumptions. Groundbreaking.' -- Sean McFate, Adjunct Associate Professor, Center for Security Studies, Georgetown University, and author of The New Rules of War'Insurgents are very agile in adapting to changing circumstances; in his masterful analysis, Ucko outlines the most likely adaptations we can expect in insurgent strategy and for which we need to prepare urgently. An absolute must-read!' -- Isabelle Duyvesteyn, Professor of International Studies and Global History, Leiden University'Required reading for both scholars of insurgency and counterinsurgency strategists. After decades of stasis, the analytical literature on insurgency is experiencing a renaissance, driven by major shifts in the security environment and innovation by insurgent actors. Erudite, persuasive, and an important contribution.' -- Steve Metz, Professor of National Security and Strategy, US Army War College'This book puts insurgency into a much wider strategic context, offering an analysis that ought to make readers think carefully about what leads to success in twenty-first-century irregular warfare.' -- Matthew Ford, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Sussex; founding editor of the British Journal for Military History; and author of Weapon of Choice and Radical War'An important new entry into the ongoing debate in military and strategic studies over the last twenty or more years. This is a useful exercise in rethinking the nature of insurgencies and counter-insurgency, especially with its discussion of state theory' -- Paul B. Rich, consultant for TRENDS Research & Advisory and author of Cinema and Unconventional Warfare in the Twentieth Century'A brilliant effort. David Ucko has produced a compelling account of emerging trends in insurgency, as guerrillas adapt to changing social and political norms and technologies in an increasingly urban and connected world. For anyone interested in the future of insurgency, and in the evolving strategic approaches that insurgents are pioneering, this book is a must-read.' -- David Kilcullen, co-author of The Ledger: Accounting for Failure in Afghanistan.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world,' said Charlie Wilson, of America's role backing the anti-Soviet mujahideen. 'And then we fucked up the endgame.' With no support for Afghanistan after that war, the vacuum was filled by the Taliban and bin Laden. 'The Ledger' assesses the West's similarly failed approach to Afghanistan after 9/11--in military, diplomatic, political and developmental terms. Dr David Kilcullen and Dr Greg Mills are uniquely placed to reflect backwards and forwards on the Afghan conflict: they worked with the international mission both as advisers and within the Arg, and they have considerable experience of counterinsurgency and stabilisation operations elsewhere in the world. Here these two experts show that there is plenty of blame to go around when explaining the failure to bring peace to Afghanistan after 9/11. The signs of collapse were conveniently ignored, in favour of political narratives of progress and success. Yet for Afghans, the war and its geopolitical effects are not over because NATO is gone--Afghanistan remains globally connected through digital communications and networks. This vital book explains why and where failings in Afghanistan happened, warning against exceptionalist approaches to future peacebuilding missions around the globe.Trade Review'[The Ledger] is a clear-eyed analysis made with the surgical precision of two insiders who saw, firsthand, the legion of small ways that the war was lost when it could have been won.' -- The Sunday Times‘A failure to understand the ties that bind Afghanistan and its people underpins the west’s 20-year struggle there, a history whose first draft is masterfully captured in The Ledger.’ -- Financial Times'The Ledger is not a book of dread and sensationalism. It is a cool and forensic dissection of what a disaster the search for Al-Qaeda following the attack on their Afghan hosts, the Taliban, was to become. […] More than a mere polemic, this is a fine book.' -- The Scotsman'[Written] by authors with deep knowledge and great expertise in their subjects, The Ledger [is] very useful in understanding how we got where we are.' -- The Independent

Read more less