Understanding Victory And Defeat In Contemporary War (contemporary Security Studies)

Bringing together leading contributors in the field, this new volume analyzes how victory and defeat in modern war can be understood and explained. It does so by confronting two inter-related research problems: the nature of victory and defeat in modern war and the explanations of victory and defeat. By first questioning the extent to which the concepts of victory and defeat are meaningful to describe the outcomes of modern wars, and whether the contents of these concepts are changing, it then evaluates different theories purporting to explain the outcomes of war and the impact of variables, ranging from technology to culture. The book tackles several key questions: What is the definition of victory in the ‘War on Terror’? What is the meaning of victory and defeat in contemporary insurgencies, such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan? Are the counterstrategies that were developed in the mid-twentieth century valid in order to deal with present and future conflicts? With case studies ranging from the Malayan Emergency to the current conflict in Iraq, Understanding Victory and Defeat in Contemporary War will be of great interest to students of war and conflict studies, security studies, military history and international relations. Bringing together leading contributors in the field, this new volume analyzes how victory and defeat in modern war can be understood and explained. It does so by confronting two inter-related research problems: the nature of victory and defeat in modern war and the explanations of victory and defeat. By first questioning the extent to which the concepts of victory and defeat are meaningful to describe the outcomes of modern wars, and whether the contents of these concepts are changing, it then evaluates different theories purporting to explain the outcomes of war and the impact of variables, ranging from technology to culture. The book tackles several key questions: * What is the definition of victory in the ‘War on Terror’? * What is the meaning of victory and defeat in contemporary insurgencies, such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan? * Are the counterstrategies that were developed in the mid-twentieth century valid in order to deal with present and future conflicts? With case studies ranging from the Malayan Emergency to the current conflict in Iraq, __Understanding Victory and Defeat in Contemporary War__ will be of great interest to students of war and conflict studies, security studies, military history and international relations. BOOK COVER......Page 1 HALF-TITLE......Page 2 SERIES-TITLE......Page 3 TITLE......Page 8 COPYRIGHT......Page 9 DEDICATION......Page 10 CONTENTS......Page 12 ILLUSTRATIONS......Page 14 NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS......Page 15 PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 18 1. INTRODUCTION: The problem of victory and defeat in modern war......Page 20 Part I: THE NATURE OF VICTORY AND DEFEAT IN MODERN WAR......Page 30 2. DEFINING POSTWAR VICTORY......Page 32 3. IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: Victory and defeat in US military operations......Page 65 4. VICTORY, COUNTER-INSURGENCY AND IRAQ......Page 96 5. THE UNITED STATES PERSPECTIVE ON VICTORY IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM......Page 113 Part II: EXPLAINING VICTORY AND DEFEAT IN MODERN WAR......Page 134 6. PARADOXES OF THE STRATEGY OF TERRORISM......Page 136 7. HOW TO LOSE A WAR ON TERROR: A comparative analysis of a counterinsurgency success and failure......Page 161 8. THE ORIGINS AND IMPLICATIONS OF WESTERN COUNTERINSURGENCY FAILURES......Page 187 9. TOPPLING THE TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN......Page 206 10. CULTURE AND THE OUTCOME OF MILITARY INTERVENTION: Developing some hypotheses......Page 225 11. UNDERSTANDING VICTORY AND DEFEAT: Some conclusions......Page 243 INDEX......Page 254 Introduction : The Problem Of Victory And Defeat In Modern War / Jan Angstrom -- Defining Postwar Victory / Robert Mandel -- In The Eye Of The Beholder : Victory And Defeat In Us Military Operations / Dominic Johnson And Dominic Tierney -- Victory, Counter-insurgency And Iraq -- Ian F.w. Beckett -- The United States Perspective On Victory In The War On Terrorism / Jan Angstrom -- Paradoxes Of The Strategy Of Terrorism / Isabelle Duyvesteyn -- How To Lose A War On Terror : A Comparative Analysis Of A Counterinsurgency Success And Failure / Ivan Arreguin-toft -- The Origins And Implications Of Western Counterinsurgency Failures / Gil Merom -- Toppling The Taliban In Afghanistan / Stephen Biddle -- Culture And The Outcome Of Military Intervention : Developing Some Hypotheses / Kersti Larsdotter -- Understanding Victory And Defeat : Some Conclusions / Isabelle Duyvesteyn. Edited By Jan Angstrom And Isabelle Duyvesteyn. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This edited work examines the nature and process of winning and losing in war, in particular between highly unequal opponents. Bringing together leading contributors, this volume shows how the meaning of victories and defeats changes over time, together with the methods and factors that produce them This book examines the nature and process of winning and losing in war, in particular between highly unequal opponents