Why do we try to use military force to solve our political problems? And why, when our forces win the military battles does this still fail to solve those problems? It is because the force lacks utility. From Iraq to the Balkans, and from Afghanistan to Chechneya, over the past fifteen years there has been a steady stream of military interventions that have not delivered on their promise for peace, or even political resolution. The Utility of Force explains this anomaly at the heart of our current international system.
The Utility of Force: The Art of War in the Modern World
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| |||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Trade in The Utility of Force: The Art of War in the Modern World for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Learn more
|
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
"One of the most important books on modern warfare in the last decade. We would be better off if the United States had a few more generals like him." --"The Washington Post Book World"
"An impressive and absorbing work of military analysis. . . . Smith is the Clausewitz of low-intensity conflict and peacekeeping operations. . . . He brilliantly lays bare the newfound limits of Western military power." --"The New York Times Book Review"
"It is hard to overstate the devastating nature of this book as an indictment of almost everything the West has done in recent years, and is doing today."
--"The Sunday Telegraph
"
"A closely argued, searching textbook on strategy and the efficient use of military power in the post-Cold War era."
--"The New York Times"
"An impressive and absorbing work of military analysis. . . . Smith is the Clausewitz of low-intensity conflict and peacekeeping operations. . . . He brilliantly lays bare the newfound limits of Western military power." --"The New York Times Book Review"
"It is hard to overstate the devastating nature of this book as an indictment of almost everything the West has done in recent years, and is doing today."
--"The Sunday Telegraph
"
"A closely argued, searching textbook on strategy and the efficient use of military power in the post-Cold War era."
--"The New York Times"
About the Author
General Sir Rupert Smith is one of the most senior international practitioners in the use of force. In his forty year career in the British Army he commanded the UK Armoured Division in the 1990-91 Gulf War, was GOC Northern Ireland, commanded the UN forces in Bosnia in 1995, and served as Deputy Commander of NATO. All of this experience informs his book. He retired in 2002.
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
46 of 53 people found the following review helpful
By Khusro
Format:Paperback
Rupert Smith brings together his long and relevant experience of command in some of the more prickly theatres of conflict in our time in lucid writing to put through the message that the nature of "war" has changed irrevocably. And the armed forces too have to be reformed and thus prepared for the new conflicts
This book is one of its kind. Prospective buyers may like to get the book's flavour from the mp3 audio of Rupert Smith's recent lecture (of the same title) at the RSA, and the questions and answers that followed (website~ http://www.thersa.org/audio/lecture181006.mp3).
This book is one of its kind. Prospective buyers may like to get the book's flavour from the mp3 audio of Rupert Smith's recent lecture (of the same title) at the RSA, and the questions and answers that followed (website~ http://www.thersa.org/audio/lecture181006.mp3).
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
In "The Utility of Force", Rupert Smith expounds his ideas on how to use force efficiently in the modern world, and outlines his view that conflicts today should not be seen through a paradigm of industrial war (as the world wars), but instead through a paradigm of prolonged confrontation (as the war in Afghanistan, or the Bosnian war).
Smith has excellent credentials: He is a retired general who commanded the UN forces in Bosnia in 1995 and has served as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. Furthermore, he has clearly done his research for the book properly, and presents many real-world examples throughout the book. Through his examples and arguments, Smith concludes that most states are viewing conflicts through the paradigm of industrial war, and concludes that this leads to an inefficient use of military force. Smith identifies several factors present in many modern conflicts which make the conventional paradigm of industrial war less useful, for example that in many modern conflicts, the enemy is non-state and hard to identify as a cohesive group, and that many modern military operations are set in the context of political goals which are considerably more complicated than simply the defeat of the enemy military forces. He discusses how military intervention should change based on these observations.
All this is interesting and obviously relevant, and provides the fundament for an interesting book. However, the book has a major drawback. Put bluntly, it is simply very long-winded, very academic, somewhat repetitive and often rather boring to read. Also, more than half of the book is basically a history book, discussing the Napoleonic wars, the birth of military theory, the world wars and the cold war, and it is not until page 267 (of 404) that Smith really begins discussing his paradigm in the context of modern conflict proper. This implies that if you are in fact looking for a book about "The Art of War in the Modern World", it will take a good deal of patience on your part before you find what you're looking for.
The ultimate theme of the book - how force can be used efficiently in our modern world - is interesting and important. But the nature of Smith's treatise of the topic unfortunately detracts from the quality of the book, and makes it unnecessarily hard reading.
Smith has excellent credentials: He is a retired general who commanded the UN forces in Bosnia in 1995 and has served as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. Furthermore, he has clearly done his research for the book properly, and presents many real-world examples throughout the book. Through his examples and arguments, Smith concludes that most states are viewing conflicts through the paradigm of industrial war, and concludes that this leads to an inefficient use of military force. Smith identifies several factors present in many modern conflicts which make the conventional paradigm of industrial war less useful, for example that in many modern conflicts, the enemy is non-state and hard to identify as a cohesive group, and that many modern military operations are set in the context of political goals which are considerably more complicated than simply the defeat of the enemy military forces. He discusses how military intervention should change based on these observations.
All this is interesting and obviously relevant, and provides the fundament for an interesting book. However, the book has a major drawback. Put bluntly, it is simply very long-winded, very academic, somewhat repetitive and often rather boring to read. Also, more than half of the book is basically a history book, discussing the Napoleonic wars, the birth of military theory, the world wars and the cold war, and it is not until page 267 (of 404) that Smith really begins discussing his paradigm in the context of modern conflict proper. This implies that if you are in fact looking for a book about "The Art of War in the Modern World", it will take a good deal of patience on your part before you find what you're looking for.
The ultimate theme of the book - how force can be used efficiently in our modern world - is interesting and important. But the nature of Smith's treatise of the topic unfortunately detracts from the quality of the book, and makes it unnecessarily hard reading.
19 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What the man says is not rocket science, but that's why this book is even more necessary.
It's about understanding the nature of what the conflict now is and what you want to get out of it. Once that's understood, make sure your organisation, tactics, strategy and resources fit.
And yet it's so obvious that this simple formula is routinely ignored by governments, not least of all our own one, and indeed armed forces.
It also reminds me as a journalist how many of my own profession don't understand what they're talking about when reporting on conflict - a modern journalistic blindspot as big as the lack of understanding of economics. This book ought to be mandatory reading for every foreign desk.
The best bits include the author's disection of various historic paradigm changes in conflict. The only criticisms that spring to mind are that he doesn't seem to give much of a rundown of things like the equipment changes that modern warfare demand, and that he can come across as a touch overbearing and arrogant, although this is no more than an impression and spoils nothing.
It's about understanding the nature of what the conflict now is and what you want to get out of it. Once that's understood, make sure your organisation, tactics, strategy and resources fit.
And yet it's so obvious that this simple formula is routinely ignored by governments, not least of all our own one, and indeed armed forces.
It also reminds me as a journalist how many of my own profession don't understand what they're talking about when reporting on conflict - a modern journalistic blindspot as big as the lack of understanding of economics. This book ought to be mandatory reading for every foreign desk.
The best bits include the author's disection of various historic paradigm changes in conflict. The only criticisms that spring to mind are that he doesn't seem to give much of a rundown of things like the equipment changes that modern warfare demand, and that he can come across as a touch overbearing and arrogant, although this is no more than an impression and spoils nothing.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read for anybody with an interest in military affairs
I found this book to be hugely informative and enlightening, with a rich and well researched knowledge base. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Liam N
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good
Can see it was used to guide some FR20 principles. Didn't find where it said to make so many hard working, long service and top quality personnel redundant though.
Published 3 months ago by Chris Dwyer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Readable and extremely interesting
This book was better that I expected, both in terms of content and style. I expected it to be overly complex and heavy going. Read more
Published on 8 Jan 2011 by Random
4.0 out of 5 stars
Informative but very wordy.
This book reflects upon past wars with a 'somewhat' refreshing insight. The author does state that he is not a historian but a student of history. Read more
Published on 20 Nov 2010 by Scott
4.0 out of 5 stars
Heavy but interesting
From the perspective of an ex-military general, this guy talks about how and where force is effective. Also where it is ineffective. A really interesting read but pretty heavy.
Published on 12 Nov 2010 by JohnnyCash
5.0 out of 5 stars
food for thought
Most thoughtfull book I have read in the past years. The author, as an officer brings more to the table than the usual suspects (i.e. M. Read more
Published on 17 Aug 2010 by TH
3.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting, if wordy read.
The author's military experience is a very useful corrective to any amount of war theory by armchair warriors. Read more
Published on 8 April 2010 by Mark Mewell
3.0 out of 5 stars
DOES NOT MEET THE MIDDLE EAST TEST
Crazy States: A Counterconventional Strategic Problem, The Capacity to Govern: a Report to the Club of Rome
Middle East Experience Contradicts the Book, April 1,... Read more
Middle East Experience Contradicts the Book, April 1,... Read more
Published on 3 April 2010 by Yehezkel Dror
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easy and Chearer too
This is quite a 'heavy' book but I knew that before I bought it. It wasn't available in some of the big name bookshop's on the High St so it was quick and easy to order it of... Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2009 by T. Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars
A MUST FOR STUDENTS OF HISTORY
This book is a "must" for anyone who has an understanding or thirst for all things military. It is very well written, if a little bit too academic in places and the author makes... Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2007 by Ratboyslim32
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
