Nuclear Matters in North Korea: Building a Multilateral Response for Future Stability in Northeast Asia

by James L. Schoff, Charles M. Perry, and Jacquelyn K. Davis (Author)

From the publisher:
North Korea tested its first nuclear weapon in October 2006, after more than three years of sporadic multilateral diplomacy and negotiations aimed at forestalling its emergence as a new nuclear state in Northeast Asia.

Convincing North Korea it would be better off without such weapons and related programs is fraught with challenges, but the situation has mobilized North Koreas neighbors and the United States to begin to create a regional security and economic framework that can reconcile their conflicting priorities and threat perceptions.

A nuclear North Korea is now a catalyst in Northeast Asia, but it is not yet clear whether it will spark a regional arms race that could pit the United States and Japan against the East Asian mainland or instead foster new trends of security cooperation and institution building. With North Koreas test the nuclear endgame has begun, but the region is ill prepared to manage this dilemma.

For three years the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis has been studying appropriate ways to build regional capacity for such activities as monitoring nuclear dismantlement, developing mutual confidence-building measures, and coordinating economic engagement with North Korea. Based on more than a hundred interviews, comparative research in other regions, and three multilateral workshops involving leading scholars and policy makers from East Asia and the United States, the authors present a practical approach to achieve these goals.

Dr. Jacquelyn K. Davis is the executive vice president of the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis, Inc. Charles M. Perry, Ph.D.., (Brookline, Massachusetts) is vice president and director of studies at IFPA. He is an expert on U.S. alliance relations. James L. Schoff is an associate director of Asia-Pacific studies at the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis (IFPA) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Iran under Ahmadinejad

by Ali Ansari

From the publisher:
The election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the summer of 2005 thrust Iran into the international limelight in a way that few would have predicted. Robust, confrontational and given to bombastic rhetoric, Ahmadinejad has drawn condemnation from the West and praise from the Middle Eastern street in almost equal measure.

This Paper looks at the details of his political rise and assesses his presidency to date within the context of the dynamics of Iranian politics. Examining the key themes of his presidency, it assesses the effectiveness of his policies and analyzes his populist approach, in particular his use of nationalism and the cult of the Twelfth Imam. The author argues that Ahmadinejad, far from retrenching the conservative values of the early revolution, is very much a product of the social and political changes which have occurred since the end of the Iran-Iraq War; that his populism in both politics and economics, along with the maintenance of a confrontational posture abroad, represents an ad hoc, and somewhat incoherent, attempt to disguise the growing contradictions which afflict the Islamic Republic, and the conservative vision of an unaccountable Islamic autocracy in the face of growing dissatisfaction, especially among key sections of the lite.

Information Operations - Doctrine and Practice: A Reference Handbook

by Christopher Paul

From the publisher:
A no-nonsense treatment of information operations, this handbook makes clear what does and does not fall under information operations, how the military plans and executes such efforts, and what the role of IO ought to be in the "war of ideas."

Paul provides detailed accounts of the doctrine and practice of the five core information operations capabilities (psychological operations, military deception, operations security, electronic warfare, and computer network operations) and the three "related" capabilities (public affairs, civil-military operations, and military support to public diplomacy).

The discussion of each capability includes historical examples, explanations of tools and forces available, and current challenges faced by that community. An appendix of selected excerpts from military doctrine ties the work firmly to the military theory behind information operations. Paul argues that contemporary IO's mixing of capabilities focused on information content with those focused on information systems conflates "apples" with the "apple carts." This important study concludes that information operations would be better poised to contribute to the war of ideas if IO were reorganized, separating content capabilities from systems capabilities and separating the employment of "black" (deceptive or falsely attributed) information from "white" (wholly truthful and correctly attributed) information.

CHRISTOPHER PAUL is a social scientist working out of RAND's Pittsburgh office. He received his Ph.D. in sociology from UCLA in 2001. He has developed methodological competencies in comparative historical and case study approaches, quantitative analysis, and survey research. His current research interests include military influence operations, integration of air and naval forces, simulation training, press-military relations, counter-terrorism, and military operations on urban terrain.

National Conference as a Strategy for Conflict Transformation and Peacemaking: The Legacy of the Republic of Benin Model

by Jacques L. Koko

From the publisher:
Events in the post Cold War era have challenged the notions of realism and realpolitik, with an upsurge in intrastate conflicts involving other actors than just the state. During this period, the international community has witnessed the limitations of the tenets of realism for addressing disastrous civil wars or ethno-political conflicts internal to the states. Largely because of this, and alongside the emerging field of conflict resolution in western countries, transitional conflict resolution mechanisms emerged with characteristic multi-track diplomacy orientations for solving national problems within African countries. By the end of the 1980s and early 1990s, several African countries, including South Africa, Burundi and Sierra Leone resorted to either a Truth and Reconciliation Commission or an international tribunal to handle violence and restore peace and justice. In the same period, other African countries opted for what was called ‘national conference’ to solve their national problems and transform conflict into an opportunity for structural change.

In February 1990, the Republic of Benin, a small nation-state in West Africa, achieved peace through a national conference. The national conference in Benin was a national gathering for crisis resolution through social debates on critical issues facing the nation, and political decision making for constructive changes. As a pioneer, Benin led the political change movement of the national conference and was later followed by eight other African countries namely, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Mali, Niger, Togo, the Central African Republic, and the former Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

To date, most of the existing literature on the subject explores the phenomenon of national conference as something of a prelude to political transition to multipartyism and democracy. Part of the literature depicts the national conference as a civil coup d’état, and recommends its institutionalization as a system for democratic transitions. This book takes a different approach by conceptualizing the national conference phenomenon as a multi-track diplomacy tool or as a process for conflict transformation and peacemaking. Building upon theories of conflict and conflict resolution, the author analyzes the national conference as a unique diplomatic approach to transforming national crisis, which expands the scope of strategies for peacemaking.

Jacques KOKO is an Adjunct Professor in the Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University, New Jersey, USA, where he teaches “Peacemaking and peacekeeping”, “Conflict and Displacement in Africa”, and “Ethnopolitical conflict”. A Beninois, Professor Koko has worked as a Senior Social Analyst with the Institut Africain pour le Développement Economique et Social (INADES) in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and as an Associate Researcher with the Université Nationale d’Abomey Calavi in Cotonou (Benin). Correlatively with his teaching position at Seton Hall University, he currently serves as a Senior Political Analyst for Americans for Informed Democracy. He publishes in both English and French.

Behind the Cyberspace Veil: The Hidden Evolution of the Air Force Officer Corps

by Brian J. Collins

From the publisher:
Toward the end of World War II, the commander of the Air Corps, General Henry "Hap" Arnold, remarked: "Someday . . . the man holding my job will meet here with a staff of scientists, and they will wear no pilot's wings on their chests." That day may be near.

Here, Collins reveals the emerging challenges posed by cyberspace to the traditional culture of the Air Force. The U.S. Air Force added cyberspace to its warfighting mission in December 2005, and the 8th Air Force was assigned operational responsibility for cyberspace in November 2006.

These events clearly indicate that the nexus of activities collectively known as command, control, communications, computer systems, and intelligence, which are the nervous system of the military, had achieved critical mass. Such activities are no longer merely important to airpower, but form the basis for independent operations in cyberspace. Although the technological implications of this shift in Air Force missions is apparent, the ultimate impact on the officer corps is not. While fighter pilots have traditionally represented the image of the Air Force, today more and more officers work at remote consoles operating unmanned aerial vehicles that deliver precision-guided munitions.

BRIAN J. COLLINS, USAF, has been teaching military strategy and operations at the National War College since 2001. Previous assignments include Chief, Policy Branch, NATO Division, Plans Directorate (J-5), Joint Staff; Component Test Director, NATO Airborne Warning and Control System; and Senior Soviet Air Forces Analyst, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. His articles have appeared in International Defense Review, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, Journal of Slavic Military Studies, Allgemeine Schweizerisch Militarzeitschrift, and Joint Force Quarterly.

Violent Globalisms: Conflict in Response to Empire

by Cornelia Beyer

From the publisher:
During the post-cold war world, the world's only superpower has encountered an unprecedented challenge: a non-state enemy that is challenging its hegemony and is using violence as a strategic means. Given the international nature of this phenomenon, a structured explanation such as this is given added necessity and urgency.

Cornelia Beyer provides a structured explanation for terrorism and its links with the 'Global War on Terror' as it relates to the latter's broader context, causes and implications. She offers a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of international terrorism and proposes effective policies to counter it. She also remedies the current undertheorized nature of the subject area, and in doing so opens up new modes of thinking about and struggling against global terrorism.

Cornelia Beyer is Lecturer in Security Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
University of Hull, Uk

Global Security Watch--Korea: A Reference Handbook

by William E. Berry

From the publisher:
In July 1993, President Bill Clinton visited the Republic of Korea as part of a tour in Northeast Asia. Looking across the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea, President Clinton described the terrain he saw as one of the scariest places on earth.

Now, well into the first decade of the 21st century and several years after the end of the Cold War, President Clinton's observation remains accurate. In fact, the argument can be made that the Korean peninsula is even more dangerous than it was in 1993.

How did this happen when, throughout most of its more than 2,000 year history, Korea was one of the most homogeneous countries among the world's nation states, with its people sharing a common language and ethnicity? Since the end of World War II and primarily through the actions of external powers, the Korean peninsula has been divided-with North and South Korea engaged in a competition for the heart and soul of the Korean nation and international legitimacy. Some experts have referred to the peninsula as one of the last vestiges of the Cold War.

Global Security Watch-Korea compares the ways in which the two Koreas have developed their respective political and economic systems over the past 50 years, as well as the competition between them. The focus then shifts to the North Korean nuclear weapons program and an examination of some of the reasons North Korea has been willing to expend economic and political resources to build this program. Berry analyzes the challenge to peace and stability represented by a nuclear-armed North Korea and the only marginally successful efforts of the United States and other countries to convince North Korea to terminate this program, an effort complicated by policy differences between the United States and South Korea regarding the Pyongyang regime. The handbook concludes with predictions of possible outcomes in this volatile area.

WILLIAM E. BERRY, JR. served 30 years in the U.S. Air Force before retiring as a colonel in 1997. During his career, he served in Vietnam, the Philippines, Korea, and Malaysia. He also taught at the Air Force Academy, the National War College, and the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. A Cornell PhD, Dr. Berry has written and lectured extensively on topics related to American security interests in both Northeast and Southeast Asia. His previous book, U.S Bases in the Philippines: the Evolution of the Special Relationship, is generally considered to be one of the seminal works on this subject. Dr. Berry is currently an independent consultant specializing in East Asian security issues and also an adjunct professor of political science at the Pueblo campus of Colorado State University. He and his wife, Noelle, live in Monument, Colorado.

Engaging Central Asia: The European Union's New Strategy in the Heart of Eurasia

by Neil J. Melvin (Editor)

From the publisher:
The German Presidency has taken the initiative to launch a process of rethinking the involvement of the European Union in the five states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, with the intention of producing a new EU Strategy on Central Asia.

This paper welcomes this initiative to strengthen the EU’s presence in the region as timely and sorely needed. In addition to finding the right mix of policies, however, it argues that the Strategy should clearly distinguish the EU from those international actors who are focused exclusively on stability and the status quo in the region and accordingly should promote policies that strengthen political, social and economic change.

Peace Not Terror: Leaders of the Antiwar Movement Speak Out Against U.S. Foreign Policy Post 9/11

by Mary Robbins

From the publisher:
This book contains essays by Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Dave Dellinger, Staughton Lynd, and other antiwar activists, including veterans. It is in the vanguard of the new peace movement and deals with the United States government's militaristic response to the events of 9/11, proposing alternative paths that will lead to peace instead of perpetual warincluding the use of the World Court, the Geneva Convention laws, and alternatives to oil for energy

Immigration, Integration, and Security: America and Europe in Comparative Perspective

by Ariane Chebel d'Appollonia and Simon Reich (Editors)

From the publisher:
Recent acts of terrorism in Britain and Europe and the events of 9/11 in the United States have greatly influenced immigration, security, and integration policies in these countries. Yet many of the current practices surrounding these issues were developed decades ago, and are ill-suited to the dynamics of today's global economies and immigration patterns.

At the core of much policy debate is the inherent paradox whereby immigrant populations are frequently perceived as posing a potential security threat yet bolster economies by providing an inexpensive workforce. Strict attention to border controls and immigration quotas has diverted focus away from perhaps the most significant dilemma: the integration of existing immigrant groups. Often restricted in their civil and political rights and targets of xenophobia, racial profiling, and discrimination, immigrants are unable or unwilling to integrate into the population. These factors breed distrust, disenfranchisement, and hatred-factors that potentially engender radicalization and can even threaten internal security.

The contributors compare policies on these issues at three relational levels: between individual EU nations and the U.S., between the EU and U.S., and among EU nations. What emerges is a timely and critical examination of the variations and contradictions in policy at each level of interaction and how different agencies and different nations often work in opposition to each other with self-defeating results. While the contributors differ on courses of action, they offer fresh perspectives, some examining significant case studies and laying the groundwork for future debate on these crucial issues.

“At a time of heightened insecurity, immigration and social cohesion policies are being reconceived around the world. This path-breaking interdisciplinary study clears the analytical underbrush and prepares the way for rational reforms. It should be read by policy professionals, as well as by scholars and students seeking a deeper understanding of rapidly changing political and social environments.” —Louis W. Pauly, University of Toronto

Intervention, Ethnic Conflict and State-Building in Iraq: A Paradigm for the Post-Colonial State

by Michael Rear

From the publisher:
External intervention by the U.N. and other actors in ethnic conflicts has interfered with the state-building process in post-colonial states. Rear examines the 1991 uprisings in Iraq and demonstrates how this intervention has contributed to the problems with democratization experienced in the post-Saddam era.

This timely work will appeal to scholars of International Relations and Middle East studies, as well as those seeking greater insight into the current conflict in Iraq.

Recovering the Frontier State: War, Ethnicity, and the State in Afghanistan

by Rasul Rais

From the publisher:
The book explores how legacies of internal strife and foreign invasions have altered the balance of social and political forces that provided some measure of stability to Afghanistan.

The country faces structural constraints in the way of reviving itself owing to ethnic fragmentation, Taliban insurgency, and shallow social roots of political power.

The central argument is that Afghanistan needs positive international engagement to find a new balance among its fractious social groups and build effective state and nationhood.

Why Not Torture Terrorists?

by Yuval Ginbar

From the publisher:
This book addresses a dilemma at the heart of the 'War on Terror': is it ever justifiable to torture terrorists in order to save the lives of others, the so-called 'ticking bomb' scenario?

The book opens with an analysis of the pure moral argument from the standpoint of the individual as torturer. It then looks at the issues that arise once a state has decided to sanction torture in certain situations: how to establish factually that the situation is urgent, deciding who to torture, training people to carry out torture, and the efficacy of torture as a means of gathering information. The final part examines attempts to operate legal systems which tolerate torture; how they relate to the criminal law notion of necessity and to international human rights norms. After examining the utilitarian arguments for torture, and the impact on a society of permitting torture, the author presents a powerful argument for maintaining the absolute legal prohibition.

Yuval Ginbar serves as a legal adviser to Amnesty International and a senior adviser to the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel.

Israel and the Clash of Civilizations: Iraq, Iran and the Plan to Remake the Middle East

by Jonathan Cook

From the publisher:
Journalist Jonathan Cook explores Israel's key role in persuading the Bush administration to invade Iraq, as part of a plan to remake the Middle East, and their joint determination to isolate Iran and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons that might rival Israel's own.

This concise and clearly argued book makes the case that Israel's desire to be the sole regional power in the Middle East neatly chimes with Bush's objectives in the "war on terror". Examining a host of related issues, from the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians to the role of Big Oil and the demonization of the Arab world, Cook argues that the current chaos in the Middle East is the objective of the Bush administration---a policy that is equally beneficial to Israel.

From the publisher:
"One of the most cogent understandings of the modern Middle East I have read. It is superb, because the author himself is a unique witness who blows away the media debris and presents both a j'accuse of those who would destroy the lives of whole societies in their pursuit of power and myth, and a warning to the rest of us to speak up and act." -- John Pilger, author of Freedom Next Time (2006) and The New Rulers of the World (2003)

"American-Israeli relations have intrigued, occupied and preoccupied two generations of scholars and of politicians. ... Jonathan Cook's book undeniably enriches and elevates the debate." -- Afif Safieh, Palestinian Ambassador in Washington

Occupational Hazards: Success and Failure in Military Occupation

by David M. Edelstein

From the publisher:
Few would contest that the U.S. occupation of Iraq is a clear example of just how fraught a military occupation can become. In Occupational Hazards, David M. Edelstein elucidates the occasional successes of military occupations and their more frequent failures. Edelstein has identified twenty-six cases since 1815 in which an outside power seized control of a territory where the occupying party had no long-term claim on sovereignty. In a book that has implications for present-day policy, he draws evidence from such historical cases as well as from four current occupations--Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq--where the outcome is not yet known.

Occupation is difficult, in Edelstein's view, because ambitious goals require considerable time and resources, yet both the occupied population and the occupying power want occupation to end quickly and inexpensively; in drawn-out occupations, impatience grows and resources dwindle. This combination sabotages the occupying power's ability to accomplish two tasks: convince an occupied population to suppress its nationalist desires and sustain its own commitment to the occupation. Structural conditions and strategic choices play crucial roles in the success or failure of an occupation. In describing those factors, Edelstein prescribes a course of action for the future.

"If only we had had this book before the invasion of Iraq! David Edelstein lucidly and compellingly explains why successful military occupations have been so rare in history and what conditions are needed for them to succeed." -- Jack Snyder, Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Relations, Columbia University

"In Occupational Hazards, David M. Edelstein offers a simple, clear argument about the question of why occupations succeed or not. This theory and policy question is a timely one, and Edelstein has researched it well." -- Barry R. Posen, Ford International Professor of Political Science and Director of the Security Studies Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

From LWBN:
The exact day of release for this March title is unknown.

Global Terrorism Issues and Developments

by Rene A. Larche

From the publisher:
Terrorism is usually described as violence or the perception or threat of imminent violence. Terrorism has been used by a broad array of political organizations in furthering their objectives; both right-wing and left-wing political parties, nationalistic, and religious groups, revolutionaries and ruling governments. Those labeled "terrorists" rarely identify themselves as such, and typically use other generic terms or terms specific to their situation, such as: separatist, freedom fighter, liberator, revolutionary, vigilante, militant, paramilitary, guerrilla, rebel, jihadi or mujaheddin, or fedayeen, or any similar-meaning word in other languages.

This new book presents important issues and ideas dealing with terrorism.

Object-Based Image Analysis and Treaty Verification: New Approaches in Remote Sensing - Applied to Nuclear Facilities in Iran

by Sven Nussbaum and Gunter Menz

From the publisher:
The availability of new high resolution satellite data brings with it the need for new image analysis methods. Traditional pixel-oriented algorithms do not give credit to the spatial coherence of high resolution imagery. In particular, for detection and classification of man-made structures, object-based procedures are much more appropriate. The use of object features such as scale, compactness, orientation and texture, in addition to spectral characteristics, extends the possibilities of remote sensing satellite image analysis considerably.

This book describes recent progress in object-based image interpretation, and also presents many new results in its application to verification of nuclear non-proliferation. A comprehensive workflow and newly developed algorithms for object-based high resolution image (pre-) processing, feature extraction, change detection, classification and interpretation are developed, applied and evaluated. The entire analysis chain is demonstrated with high resolution imagery acquired over Iranian nuclear facilities.

From LWBN:
The exact day of release for this March title is unknown.

Terrorism and the Limitation of Rights: The ECHR and the US Constitution

by Stefan Sottiaux

From the publisher:
Taking as a starting point the widely accepted view that states confronted with terrorism must find a proper equilibrium between their respective obligations of preserving fundamental rights and fighting terrorism effectively, this book seeks to demonstrate how the design and enforcement of a human rights instrument may influence the result of that exercise. An attempt is made to answer the question how a legal order’s approach to the limitation of rights may shape decision-making trade-offs between the demands of liberty and the need to guarantee individual and collective security. In doing so, special attention is given to the difference between the adjudicative methods of balancing and categorisation. The book challenges the conventional wisdom that individual rights, in times of crisis, are better served by the application of categorical rather than flexible models of limitation. In addition, the work considers the impact of a variety of other factors, including the discrepancies in enforcing an international convention as opposed to a national constitution and the use of emergency provisions permitting derogations from human rights obligations in time of war or a public emergency.

The research questions are addressed through a comparative study of the terrorism-related restrictions on five fundamental rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights and the United States Constitution: the right to freedom of expression, the right to freedom of association, the right to personal liberty, the right to privacy, and the right to a fair trial. The book offers both a theoretical account of the paradoxical relationship between terrorism and human rights and a comprehensive comparative survey of the major decisions of the highest courts on both sides of the Atlantic.

Stefan Sottiaux is a Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Antwerp and Ghent. He is a member of the Brussels bar where he practices constitutional and human rights law.

Wiley Pathways Introduction to Homeland Security: Understanding Terrorism With an Emergency Management Perspective

by David A. McEntire

From CWBN:
Readers need to be aware more than ever before of the increased number of threats this country faces. Introduction to Homeland Security: Understanding Terrorism with an Emergency Management Perspective provides important and up-to-date information about terrorism, terrorist behavior, homeland security policies and dilemmas, and how to deal effectively with threats and the consequences of attacks. This book provides a foundation that spans the readily apparent chasm between the disaster and homeland security communities. Its focus on terrorism may help to educate those who do not yet understand the need to prepare for this significant threat. Its concentration on emergency management will remind homeland security officials that reinventing of the wheel is not only unnecessary, but problematic. Introduction to Homeland Security will be useful to scholars, students, and practitioners interested or involved in homeland security and emergency management.

With this book, you will be able to:

* Define homeland security, understand how it changed after 9/11, and explore its relationship with emergency management.
* Recognize the causes of terrorism and what prompts people to engage in terrorist attacks.
* Assess the trade-offs between security and rights, and understand how terrorism exploits the tension between them.
* Work to prevent terrorist attacks by promoting laws that prohibit terrorism and protecting all points of entry into the United States.
* Prepare for a terrorist attack by creating an advisory council, passing ordinances, acquiring monetary resources, and establishing an EOC.
* Effectively respond to a terrorist attack through the many functions involved, including the protection of first responders and the decontamination of the victims.
* Recover from a terrorist attack through both short-term and long-term measures.
* Anticipate the future challenges we face in homeland security, and comprehend the various types of attacks that might take place.

Power and Military Effectiveness: The Fallacy of Democratic Triumphalism

by Michael C. Desch

From the publisher:
Since 1815 democratic states have emerged victorious from most wars, leading many scholars to conclude that democracies are better equipped to triumph in armed conflict with autocratic and other non-representative governments.

Political scientist Michael C. Desch argues that the evidence and logic of that supposition, which he terms "democratic triumphalism," are as flawed as the arguments for the long-held and opposite belief that democracies are inherently disadvantaged in international relations. Through comprehensive statistical analysis, a thorough review of two millennia of international relations thought, and in-depth case studies of modern-era military conflicts, Desch finds that the problems that persist in prosecuting wars -- from building up and maintaining public support to holding the military and foreign policy elites in check -- remain constant regardless of any given state's form of government. In assessing the record, he finds that military effectiveness is almost wholly reliant on the material assets that a state possesses and is able to mobilize.

Power and Military Effectiveness is an instructive reassessment of the increasingly popular belief that military success is one of democracy's many virtues. International relations scholars, policy makers, and military minds will be well served by its lessons.

"Power and Military Effectiveness is a provocative and intriguing contribution to the debate about the relative advantages of democratic versus autocratic forms of governance. It carries vital policy implications for how we think about the origins and limits of U.S. power and strength and the virtues of fellow democracies across the globe." -- Risa Brooks, Northwestern University

Human Rights and Non-Discrimination in the 'War on Terror'

by Daniel Moeckli

From the publisher:
In the post-September 11th era, liberal democracies face the question of whether, and if so to what extent, they should change the relationship between liberty and security. This book explores how three major liberal democratic states - the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany - have approached this challenge by analysing the human rights impacts of their anti-terrorism laws and practices. The analysis reveals that the most far-reaching restrictions of liberty have been imposed on minorities: foreign nationals and certain 'racial', ethnic and religious groups.

Disparate treatment raises complex issues concerning the human right to non-discrimination. Differential treatment on the basis of nationality, national origin, 'race' or religion is only compatible with the right to non-discrimination if there are objective and reasonable grounds for it.The author evaluates contemporary anti-terrorism efforts for their compliance with this requirement. Is there, in the context of the current 'war on terror', sufficient justification for applying powers of preventive detention or trial by special tribunal only to foreign nationals? Are law enforcement methods or immigration policies that single out people for special scrutiny based on their national origin, or their ethnic or religious appearance, a suitable and proportionate means of countering terrorism? The concluding part of the book argues that, in the long term, discriminatory anti-terrorism measures will have impacts beyond their original scope and fundamentally reshape ordinary legal regimes and law enforcement methods.

Dr Daniel Moeckli is a Lecturer in the School of Law and a Fellow of the Human Rights Law Centre at the University of Nottingham. His main research interests lie in the area of human rights law, both international and national. He is a member of the Panel of Experts advising the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights While Countering Terrorism. Previously, he acted as legal adviser to the International Bar Association's Task Force on International Terrorism, worked for Amnesty International and practised criminal law for several years.

The War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy

by Walid Phares

From the publisher:
From Afghanistan and Iraq to Europe and the U.S., we are engaged in one of the most heated wars of all time. In this incisive book, terrorism expert Walid Phares shows that the most important battle of all is taking place in the hearts and minds of people across the world. This is the War of Ideas, where ideology is the most powerful weapon.

Phares looks at the two opposing camps, one standing for democracy and human rights, the other rejecting the global community and calling for jihad against the West. He reveals the strategies of both sides, explaining how new technology and the jihadists' media savvy have raised the stakes in the conflict. And most urgently, he warns that we are in danger of losing the war, for while debate and theorizing rarely lead to action, ideas and deeds are inextricably linked for the forces of jihad.

Walid Phares is a world-renowned terrorism and Middle East expert. He is a senior fellow at The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and a visiting fellow at the European Foundation for Democracy. He has testified before the State Department many times and led NGO delegations to discuss Middle East terrorism with the UN Security Council. He has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN, al Jazeera, al Hurra, Fox News, and Abu Dhabi TV, among others, and is a frequent contributor to U.S. and international radio programs. A professor of Middle East Studies at Florida Atlantic University, he holds a doctorate in international relations and strategic studies. He is the author of several books, including Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies against the West.

From LWBN:
This is the first paperback edition of a hardcover book.

Self-Defense in Islamic and International Law: Assessing Al-Qaeda and the Invasion of Iraq

by Niaz A. Shah

From the publisher:
Shah argues that the concept of self-defense in Islamic and International law is compatible. Al-Qaeda’s declaration of Jihad does not meet the Islamic legal test. Similarly, the invasion of Iraq does not meet the international legal test.

Dr Shah examines those causes attributed to Islam and non-Islamic causes of terrorism and argues that the theory of ‘reactive terror’ provides the most plausible explanation for so-called Islamic terrorism. The nature of conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq is changing and Muslim leaders (not including Al-Qaeda or pro Anglo-American governments) may, by consensus, declare Jihad if the occupying forces do not withdraw. Such declaration would be according to Islamic and international law.

Niaz A Shah received his PhD from The Queen’s University Belfast and Certificate in International Human Rights Law from The University of Nottingham. He has written widely on human rights issues such as freedom of religion, honor killing, women’s rights, public international law and Islamic law. He is currently a Lecturer in Law, University of Hull, United Kingdom. He teaches international human rights and Islamic law.

Trigger Men: Shadow Team, Spider-Man, the Magnificent Bastards, and the American Combat Sniper

by Hans Halberstadt

From the publisher:
Combat veteran and author Hans Halberstadt takes readers deeper inside the elusive world of snipers than ever before, from recruitment and training to the brutality of the killing fields.

Shadow Team is probably the most productive sniper team in American military history, accounting for 276 confirmed kills in a six months span with no casualties of their own. Their leader made what was, and may still be, the longest range kill with a 7.62mm rifle.

For the first time ever they explain what it's like to kill a man and what it takes to become one of the elite.The tragic tale of Headhunter Two is altogether different. This four man sniper team from a regiment known within the Corps as the Magnificent Bastards was killed in 2004 in Ramadi, Iraq. Their deaths not only caused a reevaluation of sniper tactics and techniques, but created a desire for vengeance that was exacted nearly two years later in dramatic fashion.

Based on hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews, Halberstadt gets inside the sniper mind and shows how they think and interact with each other, how missions are planned and executed, how the weapons work, and even what happens when a bullet finally strikes its target. There are only a few hundred snipers from all the services put together in combat at any one time, making this true inside story a rare and important event. Both a uniquely intimate look at what makes a sniper tick and a harrowing read filled with dramatic war tales, Trigger Men is a book about killers and killing, without apology and without remorse.

“A terrific inside look at a Special Forces A-Team at war.” –Sean Naylor, author of Not a Good Day to Die

On Empire: America, War, and Global Supremacy

by Eric Hobsbawm

From the publisher:
In there four incisive and keenly perceptive essays, one of out most celebrated and respected historians of modern Europe looks at the world situation and some of the major political problems confronting us at the start of the third millennium.

With his usual measured and brilliant historical perspective, Eric Hobsbawm traces the rise of American hegemony in the twenty-first century. He examines the state of steadily increasing world disorder in the context of rapidly growing inequalities created by rampant free-market globalization. He makes clear that there is no longer a plural power system of states whose relations are governed by common laws—including those for the conduct of war. He scrutinizes America's policies, particularly its use of the threat of terrorism as an excuse for unilateral deployment of its global power. Finally, he discusses the ways in which the current American hegemony differs from the defunct British Empire in its inception, its ideology, and its effects on nations and individuals.

Hobsbawm is particularly astute in assessing the United States' assertion of world hegemony, its denunciation of formerly accepted international conventions, and its launching of wars of aggression when it sees fit. Aside from the naivete and failure that have surrounded most of these imperial campaigns, Hobsbawm points out that foreign values and institutions—including those associated with a democratic government—can rarely be imposed on countries such as Iraq by outside forces unless the conditions exist that make them acceptable and readily adaptable.

Timely and accessible, On Empire is a commanding work of history that should be read by anyonewho wants some understanding of the turbulent times in which we live.

Eric Hobsbawm is a fellow of the British Academy and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has taught at the University of London, the College de France, MIT, Cornell. and the Graduate Faculty of The New School for Social Research. He is the author of more than twenty books. He lives in London.

The Confrontation: Winning the War against Future Jihad

by Walid Phares

From the publisher:
In Future Jihad, terrorism and Middle East expert Walid Phares gave a definitive account of the historical and cultural forces that led to September 11 and the rise of radical Islam. In The War of Ideas, he revealed the conflict of ideologies that underlie the War on Terror. Now, in The Confrontation, he identifies the clashes to come and provides a blueprint for defeating the forces of jihad.

Moving from the ravaged villages of the Sudan to London's Muslim neighborhoods to the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, he illuminates the vast and complex world of the global jihadist movement. He offers a multi-pronged strategy, global in scope, and calls on the world's diverse local and international institutions to come together and coordinate their efforts. Pointing the way forward, this book shows how we might reclaim a world that is safe for freedom and democratic societies.

House to House: A Soldier's Memoir

by David Bellavia

From the publisher:
Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, House to House is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit.

House to House is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. An instant classic in hardcover, this timeless story features a new afterword and a question and answer section with the author.

"Like St. Mihiel, Normandy, Inchon, and Khe Sanh before it, Fallujah is one of the most horrific and hard-fought battles in U.S. history. SSG David Bellavia's riveting, poignant, and at times even humorous firsthand account vividly emphasizes why this battle must never be forgotten. And why, because of the breathtaking courage of Bellavia and his fellow troops, it was won." -- Andrew Carroll, editor of War Letters and Behind the Lines

Going to War: How Misinformation, Disinformation, and Arrogance Led America into Iraq

by Russ Hoyle

From the publisher:
With the pacing and intrigue of a thriller, Going to War is the fullest, most detailed account yet of the U.S.-led march to war in Iraq. Veteran editor and reporter Russ Hoyle has pieced together the whole complicated story, from the Bush administration's aggressive twisting of intelligence about Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMD) to its manipulation of Congress and a compliant media in order to 'sell' the war to a frightened nation.

Hoyle takes us inside the White House and intelligence agencies, where we witness internal debates that took place within the Oval Office, the Office of the Vice President, the Pentagon, and the CIA after 9/11 and in the months leading up to the war. He describes the furtive steps of the White House Iraq Group--including Condoleezza Rice, Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, Karen Hughes, and their militant neoconservative enablers--who maneuvered with Vice President Cheney to promote unfounded intelligence about Iraqi WMD and pressure the CIA to tailor its analysis to fit President Bush's war policy.

We also learn about the propaganda campaign waged by Iraqi exile leader Ahmed Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress; Tony Blair's role in pushing the White House to use Saddam's WMD as a rationale for war, as revealed in classified British government documents; the behind-the-scenes story of Colin Powell's televised presentation to the United Nations in the months before the U.S.-led attack; the truth behind the Niger yellowcake affair and the administration's vendetta against Ambassador Joseph Wilson in leaking the identity of his wife, Valerie Plame Wilson, as a covert CIA agent; and the grand jury investigation that led to the dramatic jailing of New York Times reporter Judith Miller and the conviction of Cheney's chief of staff, Scooter Libby.

This is the most definitive and comprehensive portrayal to date of the forces that led us into Iraq. Hoyle helps us understand how the American public was deceived and dragged into a war whose end is nowhere in sight. Going to War tells a story that is destined to join the ranks of the great follies of U.S. diplomatic and political history.

The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace

by Ali A. Allawi

From the publisher:
Involved for over thirty years in the politics of Iraq, Ali A. Allawi was a long-time opposition leader against the Baathist regime. In the post-Saddam years he has held important government positions and participated in crucial national decisions and events. In this book, the former Minister of Defense and Finance draws on his unique personal experience, extensive relationships with members of the main political groups and parties in Iraq, and deep understanding of the history and society of his country to answer the baffling questions that persist about its current crises. What really led the United States to invade Iraq, and why have events failed to unfold as planned?

The Occupation of Iraq examines what the United States did and didn’t know at the time of the invasion, the reasons for the confused and contradictory policies that were enacted, and the emergence of the Iraqi political class during the difficult transition process. The book tracks the growth of the insurgency and illuminates the complex relationships among Sunnis, Shias, and Kurds. Bringing the discussion forward to the reconfiguration of political forces in 2006, Allawi provides in these pages the clearest view to date of the modern history of Iraq and the invasion that changed its course in unpredicted ways.

Since the Coalition’s invasion of Iraq, Ali A. Allawi has served as his country’s first postwar civilian Minister of Defense, was elected to the Transitional National Assembly as a member of the United Iraqi Alliance, and was appointed Minister of Finance under Dr. Ibrahim al-Jaffari. He divides his time between London and Baghdad.

Contemporary Security and Strategy: Second Edition

by Craig A. Snyder

From the publisher:
This rigorously-edited text brings together a range of specially-commissioned chapters to provide an accessible introduction to Security Studies in the 21st century. The second edition has been expanded to cover developments in global and regional security; nuclear proliferation; terrorism; intervention and peacekeeping and includes 8 entirely new chapters.

"[A] good set of essays that can be used for both graduate and undergraduate courses in security studies... It will be an important resource for scholars and advanced students of military security. It provides a structured and balanced overview, together with a comprehensive bibliography. It should be a 'must buy' for security studies courses." - Malcolm Chalmers, International Affairs

What After Iraq?

by Donald M. Snow

From the publisher:
Starting with the war’s origins and its remarkable parallels with Vietnam, national security expert Donald M. Snow then turns to offering a fresh and original breakdown of the domestic and international consequences, ranging from the effect on future military missions to the 2008 presidential election. For readers who want a pause from the punditry and a more thoughtful consideration of Iraq and America’s future, What After Iraq? collects all of the key facts and figures in one place and briskly sets forth the lessons to be learned from our latest involvement in the Middle East.

Donald M. Snow is Professor of Political Science at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. He is the author of numerous books and articles on national security, international conflict, and American foreign policy.

Partisans of Allah: Jihad in South Asia

by Ayesha Jalal

From the publisher:
The idea of jihad is central to Islamic faith and ethics, and yet its meanings have been highly contested over time. They have ranged from the philosophical struggle to live an ethical life to the political injunction to wage war against enemies of Islam. Today, more than ever, jihad signifies the political opposition between Islam and the West. As the line drawn between Muslims and non-Muslims becomes more rigid, Ayesha Jalal seeks to retrieve the ethical meanings of this core Islamic principle in South Asian history.

Drawing on historical, legal, and literary sources, Jalal traces the intellectual itinerary of jihad through several centuries and across the territory connecting the Middle East with South Asia. She reveals how key innovations in modern Islamic thought resulted from historical imperatives. The social and political scene in India before, during, and after British colonial rule forms the main backdrop. We experience the jihad as armed warfare waged by Sayyid Ahmad of Rai Bareilly between 1826 and 1831, the calls to jihad in the great rebellion of 1857, the fusion of jihad with a strand of anti-colonial nationalism in the early twentieth century, and the contemporary politics of self-styled jihadis in Pakistan, waging war to liberate co-religionists in Afghanistan and Kashmir.

Partisans of Allah surveys this rich and tumultuous history of South Asian Muslims and its critical contribution to the intellectual development of the key concept of jihad. Analyzing the complex interplay of ethics and politics in Muslim history, the author effectively demonstrates the preeminent role of jihad in the Muslim faith today.

One Family's Response to Terrorism: A Daughter's Memoir

by Susan Kerr Van De Ven

From the publisher:
On January 18, 1984, Malcolm Kerr, president of the American University of Beirut and a respected scholar of Middle East politics, was shot in the back of the head as he stepped out of an elevator on his way to work. At the time, the chaos of Lebanon's civil war made it impossible to investigate who had carried out the killing and why.

Seventeen years later, armed with new information concerning the assassination and supported by the Anti-Terrorism Act passed by Congress in 1996, his family came to a painful consensus that nonviolent justice through the rule of law was a duty they could not ignore. Disturbing revelations emerged as the author explored U.S. government intelligence, U.S. district court records, Malcolm Kerr's unpublished papers, and the recollections of journalists, diplomats, academics, and former Hizballah hostages who lived through the violence in Lebanon in the 1980s. The family's team of lawyers built a clear case against the Islamic Republic of Iran, culminating in a trial before a judge of the U.S. District Court.

One Family's Response to Terrorism: A Daughter's Memoir is a stunning portrait of the intimate way in which violence pulls lives apart, of an American family caught on the stage of Middle East politics and of the moral choices required in seeking justice.

Susan Kerr van de Ven was born in 1958 at the American University Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon. As a child she lived in the United States, Egypt, Lebanon, France, England, and Tunisia. She earned a master's degree in Middle Eastern studies and a doctorate in education from Harvard University. She lives in Cambridge, England, where she runs a creative writing program for primary school children and serves as a Liberal Democrat councillor on South Cambridgeshire District Council.

From LWBN:
The exact day of release for this March title is unknown.

The Man Who Pushed America to War: The Extraordinary Life, Adventures and Obsessions of Ahmad Chalabi

by Aram Roston

From the publisher:
From an Emmy award-winning investigative reporter--an explosive biography that tells the untold story of the man most responsible for the war in Iraq.
Ahmad Chalabi literally changed the world. If anyone were to get the most credit for pushing the United States to war in Iraq, Chalabi, a wealthy exile who spent most of his life out of Iraq, would certainly be a leading contender.

A convicted felon and a fugitive from justice in Jordan, Chalabi managed to charm and influence the top leaders of the United States. Those leaders gave him United States government money, which he would, in turn, use to lobby them. He then rode America's immense power, harnessing it to his interests. More so than President George W. Bush or Vice President Richard Cheney, Chalabi and his followers steered the United States toward its fateful position in Iraq.

This is an extraordinary investigative biography, by a brilliant young Emmy award-winning journalist who works for NBC's Investigative Unit, telling the story of Chalabi as a gifted MIT mathematician, to his misadventures in the Middle East, to the invasion of Iraq, which he himself took part in the most theatrical way, posing in the desert with a rag-tag army of Iraqis.

Aram Roston is a journalist who has covered Iraq, Chalabi, and the reconstruction of Iraq for NBC "Nightly News." An award-winning investigative reporter based in Washington, D.C., he has also written for GQ, Mother Jones, the New York Times Magazine, Washington Monthly, The Nation, Maclean's, and the Walrus. He has reported internationally from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Colombia, and Liberia. This is his first book.

Never Quit the Fight

by Ralph Peters

From the publisher:
Never Quit the Fight is the fiercest and timeliest book yet by acclaimed strategist Ralph Peters. Drawing on his global experiences from Africa to Iraq, the author attacks the crucial issues of our time head-on, with a clear eye and the blunt voice that has won him a devoted following:

* Was Iraq worth it? What's the truth behind the politics?
* How do Islamist terrorists themselves see this global struggle?
* Are our defense dollars buying a strong military--or the wrong military?
* Are we missing great opportunities elsewhere while hypnotized by the Middle East?
* When it comes to understanding terrorism, are Darwin and religion two halves of one answer?
* Must we accept that Islam itself is the problem?
* Will we face a war with China? What would such a war mean?
* Can Washington ever learn from its mistakes?

These are just a few of the controversial issues the author takes on in a series of body blows to the status quo. Famed as the most original strategist of our time, Ralph Peters builds on the critical and commercial success of previous books, such as Beyond Terror and New Glory to offer a stunningly fresh vision for our military, our country--and the world. Already an influential voice in Washington, Ralph Peters continues to build a national and international audience hungry for his no-nonsense insights, his integrity, and a style that, no matter the complexity of the issue, remains vivid and clear--a joy to read.

About the Author: Ralph Peters is the author of twenty-one books, ranging from bestselling thrillers to critically acclaimed, prize-winning historical novels. His four previous books on strategy havebeen highly influential in government and military circles, while his experience abroad--in more than sixty countries--is unparalleled. A regular opinion columnist for the New York Post, Peters is also on the board of contributors at USA Today and writes a monthly column on strategy for Armed Forces Journal. He is a frequent guest on television and radio and lives in the Washington, D.C., area.

Willful Blindness: Memoir of the Jihad

by Andrew C. McCarthy

From the publisher:
Andrew C. McCarthy takes readers back to the real beginning of the war on terror--not the atrocities of September 11, but the first bombing of the World Trade Center in February 1993 when radical Islamists effectively declared war on the United States. From his perch as a government prosecutor of the blind sheik and other jihadists responsible for the bombing, Andrew McCarthy takes readers inside the twisted world of Islamic terror.

Though McCarthy's language is at times cumbersome, his firsthand account of jihad's rise and the sheikh's trial of the century is an important contribution (and in some instances, counterpoint) to existing literature on the attack that foreshadowed disaster to come. - Publishers Weekly

Deployed: How Reservists Bear the Burden of Iraq

by Michael Craig Musheno and Susan M. Ross

From the publisher:

What is it like to be one of the citizen-soldiers summoned to duty in Iraq and Afghanistan? The events of 9/11 were a call to arms for many reservists, as shock, anger, and fear propelled large numbers to volunteer for the opportunity to serve their country in the Middle East. Even the most patriotic, however, had not expected that the wars would last so long or that the Army Reserve would supply so much of the manpower.

Using the soldiers' own voices, Deployed draws upon the life stories of members of an Army Reserve MP Company, who were called to extraordinary service after September 11. The book explores how and why they joined the Army Reserve, how they dealt with the seismic changes in their lives during and after deployment, the evolution of their relationships inside and outside their military unit, and their perspectives on the U.S. Army.

Musheno and Ross uncover five pathways that led these citizens to join the reserves, showing how basic needs and cultural idioms combined to stimulate enlistments. Whatever path led to enlistment, the authors find that citizen-soldiers fall into three distinct categories: adaptive reservists who adjust quickly to the huge changes in their lives abroad and at home, struggling reservists whose troubles are more a product of homegrown circumstances than experiences specific to serving in a war zone, and reservists who are dismissive of military life while they live it and oppose the war even as they fight it. Perhaps most important, Deployed challenges the prevailing stereotype of returning soldiers as war-damaged citizens.

Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Containing and Preventing Biological Threats

by Jeffrey Ryan by Jan Glarum

From the publisher:
Biosecurity and Bioterrorism is the first book to take a holistic approach to biosecurity with coverage of pathogens, prevention and response methodology.

The book is organized into four thematic sections: Part I provides a conceptual understanding of biowarfare, bioterrorism and the laws we have to counteract this; Part II investigates known bioagents and the threat from emerging diseases; Part III focuses on agricultural terrorism and food security; Part IV outlines international, US, and local initiatives for biodefense and biosecurity. Case studies illustrate biodefense against both intentional terrorism and natural outbreaks.

The authors bring an extraordinary combination of experience in academia and the clinical world, as well as real-world experience in technical and practical matters, to their writing. They make technical material clear and fascinating for readers with a basic knowledge of biology. Ryan and Glarum address the hazards in the context of vulnerability assessments and the planning strategies government and industry can take to prepare for and respond to such events.

* How are these agents used in biowarfare?
* How likely are we to face either a natural outbreak or intentional human/animal infection?
* How can we prepare for this effectively?

Undoing Saddam: From Occupation to Sovereignty in Northern Iraq

by Wayne H. Bowen

From the publisher:
Undoing Saddam tells the story of northern Iraq during the transition from U.S. occupation to local sovereignty. During 2004, U.S. and Iraqi government forces faced numerous challenges: insurrection, reconstruction, the creation of a new government, and how to portray the nation, its people, and the governments actions accurately. Wayne H. Bowen was a U.S. Army Reserve civil affairs officer in charge of higher education and antiquities in the provinces of Nineveh, Dohuk, and Erbil, where he played a critical role in promoting peace and stability. He managed reconstruction projects, served as a key intermediary between Iraqi educational leaders and U.S. forces, and assisted in the search for weapons of mass destruction.

Undoing Saddam goes beyond the attacks and violence to detail the day-to-day problems of rebuilding a nation, including constructing schools, digging wells, completing roads, and building new power plants. Bowen also examines functioning village, city, and provincial councils as they endeavor to practice democracy. Based on Bowens diary, this book presents the daily fight to build a new Iraq despite terrorist attacks, ethnic conflict, and missteps by the Coalition Provisional Authority and U.S. forces. Undoing Saddam will be of interest to everyone interested in the Iraqi occupation and reconstruction efforts.

From LWBN:
The exact day of release for this March title is unknown.

The Terrorist Perspectives Project: Strategic and Operational Views of Al Qaida and Associated Movements

by Mark Stout

From the publisher:
This timely book synthesizes the perspectives of Osama bin Laden and his fellow Salafi jihadists on how to wage war on their many enemies. A team of experts from the Institute for Defense Analyses working on the Terrorist Perspectives Project undertook the study in order to help U.S. military and civilian policymakers, planners, and educators better understand terrorists. In assembling strategic and operational perspectives of Al Qaida and Associated Movements (AQAM), they focused on the Salafi jihadists intellectual leadership and a sampling of their followers, who together comprise the vanguard of the global jihad and share a common enemy--the West. This project is sponsored by the United States Joint Forces Command.

Mark E. Stout is a defense analyst at the Institute for Defense Analyses in Arlington, VA, and collaborated with Jim Lacey on The Iraqi Perspectives Report Paperback, Naval Institute Press, 2006. John R. Schindler, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College, is the author of Unholy Terror and Agents Provocateurs. Jessica M. Huckabey is an adjunct research staff member at the Institute for Defense Analyses.

On Call in Hell: A Doctor's Iraq War Story

by Cdr. Richard Jadick and Thomas Hayden

From the publisher:
Cdr. Richard Jadick's story is one of the most extraordinary to come out of the war in Iraq. At thirty-eight, the last place the Navy doctor was expected to be was on the front lines. He was too old to be called up, but not too old to volunteer. In November 2004, with the military reeling from an acute doctor shortage, Jadick chose to accompany the First Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment (the "1/8") to Iraq.

During the Battle of Fallujah, Jadick and his team worked tirelessly and courageously around the clock to save their troops in the worst street fighting Americans had faced since Vietnam. It is estimated that without Jadick at the front, the Marines would have lost an additional thirty men. Of the hundreds of men he treated, only one died after reaching a hospital. This is the inspiring story of his decision to enter into the fray, a fascinating glimpse into wartime triage, and a compelling account of courage under fire.

Cdr. Richard Jadick is the recipient of the Bronze Star with a Combat V for valor, the only Navy doctor to have been awarded one so far in the Iraq war. He is now a urology resident at the Medical College of Georgia and is still in the Navy.

Terrorist's Call to Global Jihad: Deciphering Abu Musab al-Suri's Islamic Jihad Manifesto

by Jim Lacey

From the publisher:
The U.S. counterintelligence community identifies Abu Musab al-Suri as the most important theorist of the global Islamic jihad and considers his manifesto to be the most important strategic document produced by al Qaida or any jihadi organization in more than a decade. But to Americans his 1,600-page manuscript largely consists of incomprehensible, impenetrable Islamic scholarship. With this publication, defense analyst Jim Lacey delivers a meaningful distillation of al-Suri's Call to Global Islamic Jihad, a work that has been called the Mein Kampf of the movement. This project is sponsored by the United States Joint Forces Command.

Jim Lacey is the author of Takedown: The 3rd Infantry Division's Twenty-One Day Assault on Baghdad.

The Canons of Jihad: Terrorists' Strategy for Defeating America

by Jim Lacey

From the publisher:
Since the 9/11 attacks, scholars have struggled to help Westerners understand what motivates the jihadi movement. Noting that the best way to understand jihadists is to ignore statements they release to the West in favor of examining what they say to each other, Jim Lacey provides a definitive collection of writings that intellectually underpins the movement. Rather than guessing about terrorist motivations from a Western perspective, readers are offered essays--including those by the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hasan al-Banna, and a leading early member, Sayed Qutb--that define the movement through the eyes of the terrorists themselves. As jihadist cadres begin to rebuild, Lacey notes that they are turning once again to their original thinkers to justify their actions. This project is sponsored by the United States Joint Forces Command.

Jim Lacey, a former U.S. Army infantry officer, is a widely published analyst at the Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria, VA, where he has written several studies on the war in Iraq and on the Global War on Terrorism. During the invasion of Iraq, he was an embedded journalist with Time magazine, traveling with the 101st Airborne Division.

Global Politics of Defense Reform

by Thomas Bruneau and Harold Trinkunas

From the publisher:
This volume analyzes the impact of key global trends on civil-military relations by examining defense reform processes since the end of the Cold War. Civil - military relations are reconceptualized to emphasize three dimensions: civilian control of the armed forces, effectiveness in carrying out roles and missions, and efficiency in use of resources. The key global trends that affect these dimensions are the globalization of new norms and ideas, the democratization of governance, technological innovation, and economic liberalization. By focusing on defense reform processes, this book examines cases where civil-military relations can potentially alter quite rapidly under the impact of global trends. By comparing cases across Europe, Asia, North and South America, this book argues that democratization and globalization have had an outsized role in determining the timing and sequence of defense reform and the consequent impact on civil-military relations.

Thomas Bruneau is a Distinguished Professor of National Security Affairs in the Naval Postgraduate School's Department of National Security Affairs. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley. He has researched and written extensively on Latin America, especially Brazil, and Portugal. Dr. Bruneau has published more than a dozen books in English and Portuguese as well as articles in scholarly journals. His most recent books include Soldiers and Statesmen: The Institutional Bases of Democratic Civilian Control (Austin: University of Texas Press, 2006) with Scott Tollefson, and Reforming Intelligence: Obstacles to Democratic Control and Effectiveness (Austin: University of Texas Press, 2007).

Harold Trinkunas is an Associate Professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University. His research and writing has focused on Latin American politics, particularly democratization and civil-military relations. His recent publications include Crafting Civilian Control of the Military in Venezuela (University of North Carolina Press, 2005); and Terrorism Financing and State Responses: a Comparative Perspective (Stanford University Press, 2007), co-edited with Jeanne Giraldo. Professor Trinkunas also serves as Deputy Director for Academic Affairs for the Center for Civil Military Relations at the Naval Postgraduate School.

So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits - and the President - Failed on Iraq

by Greg Mitchell

From the publisher:
It is often said that a free press is the watchdog of democracy, insuring that the conduct of our leaders is examined with a critical eye. This makes Greg Mitchell the watchdog of watchdogs, as tracking the performance of the media is his beat at Editor & Publisher, the influential magazine of the newspaper industry. Over the past five years, his weekly column “Pressing Issues,” has intensely scrutinized the coverage of the Iraq war, the media’s views of the credibility of the Bush Administration, and such related topics as 9/11, the war in Afghanistan, and the CIA Leak Case. Now, as the war in Iraq reaches its 5th anniversary, this first-ever collection, with more than 75 of Mitchell’s columns, provides a unique history of the conflict, from the hyped WMD stories to the “surge.”

Back in 2003, Mitchell was one of the few mainstream journalists to question the grounds for war. Today, Mitchell looks ahead at lessons for the future with an original introduction and connecting material that updates and unifies his original essays. From prescient early columns warning of a long, bloody war to Stephen Colbert’s in-his-face mockery of President Bush to a piece titled “No Pat Answers in the Tillman Case,” this book will appeal to press critics, bloggers, media professionals, teachers, students, and everyone concerned with how we got into Iraq and why we can’t seem to get out. With more than 160,000 American troops still fighting there, debate over the war continues to rage on news and editorial pages from big city dailies to weekly papers in small towns. Against this controversial backdrop, Greg Mitchell is the one reporter examining all the coverage and taking the long view of the press’s performance.

Greg Mitchell is the editor of Editor & Publisher, the journal of the newspaper business which has won several major awards for its coverage of Iraq and the media. He has written eight books, including Hiroshima in America (with Robert Jay Lifton) and The Campaign of the Century: Upton Sinclair's Race for Governor of California and the Birth of Media Politics, and his articles have appeared in dozens of leading newspapers and magazines. He lives in the New York City area. Joseph L. Galloway is one of the most respected war correspondents of our time and currently writes a syndicated column on military affairs. He co-authored the bestselling We Were Soldiers Once...and Young and the forthcoming We Are Soldiers Still. He was awarded a Bronze Star for valor in Vietnam.

Monstering: Inside America's Policy of Secret

by Tara McKelvey

From the publisher:
In April 2004, the Abu Ghraib photographs set off an international scandal. Yet until this book, the full story behind that scandal has never been told. Tara McKelvey-the first U.S. journalist to speak with female prisoners from Abu Ghraib-traveled to the Middle East and across the United States to seek out victims and perpetrators.

McKelvey tells how soldiers, acting in an atmosphere that encouraged abuse and sadism, were unleashed on a prison population of whom the vast majority, according to Army documents, were innocent citizens. She gained unprecedented access to soldiers, officers, administration officials, and suspected terrorists. She also provides an inside look at Justice Department theories of presidential power to show how the many abuses were licensed by the government.

Monstering is a gripping and important expos‚ that reaches well beyond the frame of the notorious photos to provide a vital examination of the under-investigated crimes of Abu Ghraib.

Tara McKelvey, a senior editor at the American Prospect and contributing editor at Marie Claire, is a research fellow at NYU School of Law's Center on Law and Security. She lives in Washington, D.C.

The Three Trillion Dollar War: The True Cost of the Iraq Conflict

by Joseph E. Stiglitz and Linda J. Bilmes

From the publisher:
Apart from its tragic human toll, the Iraq War will be staggeringly expensive in financial terms. This sobering study by Nobel Prize winner Joseph E. Stiglitz and Harvard professor Linda J. Bilmes casts a spotlight on expense items that have been hidden from the U.S. taxpayer, including not only big-ticket items like replacing military equipment (being used up at six times the peacetime rate) but also the cost of caring for thousands of wounded veterans—for the rest of their lives. Shifting to a global focus, the authors investigate the cost in lives and economic damage within Iraq and the region. Finally, with the chilling precision of an actuary, the authors measure what the U.S. taxpayer's money would have produced if instead it had been invested in the further growth of the U.S. economy. Written in language as simple as the details are disturbing, this book will forever change the way we think about the war.

Winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics, Joseph E. Stiglitz of Columbia University is the author of Making Globalization Work and Globalization and Its Discontents. Linda J. Bilmes, a professor of public finance at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, is a former assistant secretary for management and budget in the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Disaster Response and Homeland Security: What Works, What Doesn't

by James Miskel

From the publisher:
Hurricane Katrina is the latest in a series of major disasters that were not well managed, but it is not likely to be the last. Category 4 and category 5 hurricanes will, according to most predictions, become both more frequent and more intense in the future due to global warming and/or natural weather cycles. In addition, it is often said that another terrorist attack on the United States is inevitable; that it is a question of when, not whether. Add to that the scare over a possible avian flu pandemic. As a result, the United States should expect that disaster response—to natural and other types of disasters—will continue to be of vital concern to the American public and the policymakers and officials who deal with disaster response and relief, including the military. The U.S. disaster relief program reflects a basic division of responsibility between federal, state, and local governments that has generally stood the test of time. At the federal level, a single agency, FEMA—now under the Department of Homeland Security—has been charged with the responsibility for coordinating the activities of the various federal agencies that have a role in disaster relief. A successful disaster response requires three things: timely and effective coordination between state and federal governments; effective coordination among the federal agencies; and effective coordination between and among state and local government agencies.

Miskel examines the effects that operational failures after Hurricanes Agnes, Hugo, Andrew, and Katrina have had on the organizational design and operating principles of the disaster response system program. He also discusses the impact of 9/11 and the evolving role of the military, and he identifies reforms that should be implemented to improve the nation's ability to respond in the future.

Howling in Mesopotamia: True Tales from Beyond the Green Zone

by Haider Ala Hamoudi

From the publisher:
Haider Ala Hamoudi has written a groundbreaking insider's story about America's war in Iraq. His unique perspective and fresh insight into the conflict that has divided our country were informed by living with relatives in an average residential neighborhood in Baghdad during the war. Many of his relatives were intimately involved in the unfolding political process, such as his uncle, who became chair of the Iraqi Constitutional Committee, and his cousin, Ahmed Chalabi, one of the most prominent Iraqi exiles to return after the fall of the previous regime.

Hamoudi saw firsthand the frustrations and fears that plagued Iraqi civilians during a crucial period of the war. As an American in Iraq working on a USAID-funded contract, he also interacted with American administrators regularly, and was able to see the developing situation from their point of view as well. Howling in Mesopotamia is a critical look at what went wrong in Iraq from a person who was there. Hamoudi's gripping memoir will shed light on the events, mistakes, and misunderstandings.

Haider Ala Hamoudi grew up speaking fluent Arabic, attending classes in Islam, and visiting Baghdad every year. He has written for the Asia Times, the New York Law Journal, and other publications. He currently lives in Manhattan with his wife and teaches at Columbia University Law School.