"War no longer exists," writes General Sir Rupert Smith, powerfully reminding us that the clash of mass national armies--the system of war since Napoleon--will never occur again. Instead, he argues in this timely book, we must be prepared to adapt tactics to each conflict, or lose the ability to protect ourselves and our way of life. General Smith draws on his vast experience as a commander in the 1991 Gulf War, in Bosnia, Kosovo and Northern Ireland, to give us a probing analysis of modern war and to call for radically ...
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"War no longer exists," writes General Sir Rupert Smith, powerfully reminding us that the clash of mass national armies--the system of war since Napoleon--will never occur again. Instead, he argues in this timely book, we must be prepared to adapt tactics to each conflict, or lose the ability to protect ourselves and our way of life. General Smith draws on his vast experience as a commander in the 1991 Gulf War, in Bosnia, Kosovo and Northern Ireland, to give us a probing analysis of modern war and to call for radically new military thinking. Why, he asks, do we use armed force to solve our political problems? And how is it that our armies can win battles but fail to solve the problems? From Iraq to the Balkans, and from Afghanistan to Chechnya, Smith charts a stream of armed interventions that have failed to deliver on promises of resolution. He demonstrates why today's conflicts must be understood as intertwined political and military events. He makes clear why the current one-size-fits-all model of total war, fought out on battlefields, that politicians still cling to must be abandoned in favor of new strategies that take into account the fact that wars are now fought among civilian populations. And he offers a compelling new model for how to fight these battles--and secure our world. Clear, incisive and provocative, "The Utility of Force" will fundamentally change the way we understand war.
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Seller's Description:
Very good in fine dust jacket. paper clip mark at top edges of pp. 375-378. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 430 p. Audience: General/trade.
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Seller's Description:
The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
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Fair. The item is very worn but continues to work perfectly. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing (age related spots and browning). May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
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Very Good. Very Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp.
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Good. Hardcover This item shows wear from consistent use but remains in good readable condition. It may have marks on or in it, and may show other signs of previous use or shelf wear. May have minor creases or signs of wear on dust jacket. Packed with care, shipped promptly.
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Like New. Size: 6x1x9; All proceeds benefit local libraries. Excellent copy! Binding is tight. Pages are clean and intact. Dust jacket is clean and in great condition.
The old saw, "If your only tool is a hammer, then every problem is a nail." applies to military intervention as a means to deal with the complex problems of contemporary world order, and disorder. With the perspective of a professional soldier of long and varied experience, Rupert Smith explains the difference between war, insurrection and terrorism and the appropriate solution to complex threats to world order. The book is outstanding and a must read for anyone concerned with the role of the military today.
Shade055
Sep 25, 2008
This should be Required Reading.
General Smith has produced a remarkable study that should be required reading for anyone who aspires to Political Office. With careful attention to historical precedent and evolution of conflict forms, General Smith carefully constructs a logical and rational framework for the application of military power. This work shows us the limitations of military power, and why intervention must be integrated into a larger political context which clearly defines a desired outcome for rational resolution of the condition. We find ourselves increasingly in circumstances where events demand that we "Do Something", and lacking a simple solution, we send in troops with an instruction to "fix things". The consequences of such instances are carefully examined, with attention to historical events. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to better understand the role of the modern military. I thank General Smith for having made this effort to assist us.
