For centuries international order has been troubled by small wars,
insurrections, and revolts--low intensity conflicts. With the
implosion of the Soviet empire many thought such violence could be
eradicated through the growth of democracy, open societies, and
increased productivity and education. Instead the world remains
filled with turmoil, pogroms, famine, civil war, rebellion, and
terror, often instigated by armed and dangerous zealots. To
Americans such killers seem alien and inexplicable, fanatics
without reason, beyond the reach of conventional containment or
retaliation. J. Bowyer Bell here explores the psychological and
strategic ecosystems (which he terms dragon worlds) of modern
political violence and suggests how America might effectively deal
with it. Dragonwars combines analysis with historical examples
drawn from America's involvement with armed struggle in Lebanon,
Central Am-erica, Greece, and Vietnam. In each instance, Bell
argues, American policy was flawed by lack of empathy and
historical understanding combined with a belief that failure could
be traced to mistakes in details and procedures. The break up of
the old bipolar U.S.-Soviet confrontation released suppressed
ambitions, tribal greed, and greater flexibility for the small
player. With new technologies of terror, zones of security will
become smaller, since open societies present attractive targets for
zealots. Bell rejects the notion that massive force can effect a
swift and final result. Instead, a new type of warrior will be
required; one versed in history and empathetic to the
belief-systems of the dragonworlds in which they are deployed. Bell
acknowledges that his proposals run counter to American belief and
practice, but argues that in the face of insoluble conflicts,
incremental advantages, through limited altered global arena,
"Dragonwars" will prove an indispensable guide for policymakers,
military planners, historians, and political scientists.
General
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