The transformation of strategic affairs / Lawrence Freedman

By: Material type: TextTextSeries: Adelphi Papers 379Publication details: London : Routledge, 2006Description: 103 pISBN:
  • 0415407249 (pbk) :
Subject(s): Summary: "argues for thinking about the role of armed forces in the light of changing political conditions and not just the new configurations made possible by the latest technological advances and organizational concepts" (author's introduction). Noting the difficulty US armed forces are having in shifting their focus from regular wars to irregular wars in which combat is integrated in society, this paper suggests that western use of power needs to governed by liberal values. Whereas traditional war provides a simple test of success - the defeat of the opposing forces - this is not the case in irregular war. Suggests however that the current problems would be familiar to those who participated in irregular wars of the 20th century and, while the spotlight of global and instant media coverage is new its impact need not be negative.
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Item type Current library Call number Copy number Status Date due Barcode
Adelphi Series Book Mindef Library & Info Centre Adelphi Corner 355.02 FRE (Browse shelf(Opens below)) 1 Available 21092-1001

"argues for thinking about the role of armed forces in the light of changing political conditions and not just the new configurations made possible by the latest technological advances and organizational concepts" (author's introduction). Noting the difficulty US armed forces are having in shifting their focus from regular wars to irregular wars in which combat is integrated in society, this paper suggests that western use of power needs to governed by liberal values. Whereas traditional war provides a simple test of success - the defeat of the opposing forces - this is not the case in irregular war. Suggests however that the current problems would be familiar to those who participated in irregular wars of the 20th century and, while the spotlight of global and instant media coverage is new its impact need not be negative.

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