After twenty years of almost unbroken wars of choice, the ethical deficiencies in the operational conduct of war by Western armed forces, has largely been ignored by scholarly critique - this volume addresses these deficiencies. It features analysis by some of the UK’s leading soldiers, veterans and scholars working in the fields of military ethics and contemporary conflict. Individual chapters discuss problems ranging from the practicalities of how to conduct a counterinsurgency campaign in one of the most challenging combat zones in the world, to the failure to account properly for defeat during military conflicts, among many others. The book addresses questions perennially raised about the role of the military in a democratic society and the extent to which its ideals are compromised in fighting wars of choice. Finally, the contributors look at remedies and solutions to these compromises by examining how previous generations faced similar problems and acted to solve them, and look ahead to see what lessons can be applied in a very different future.

Britain is often revered for its extensive experience of waging 'small wars'. Its long imperial history is littered with high profile counter-insurgency campaigns, thus marking it out as the world's most seasoned practitioner of this type of warfare. This is the first book to detail the tactical and operational dynamics of Britain's small wars, arguing that the military's use of force was more heavily constrained by wider strategic and political considerations than previously admitted. Outlining the civil-military strategy followed by the British in Palestine, Malaya, Kenya, Cyprus, Aden, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, Defending the realm?, available for the first time in paperback, argues that Britain's small wars since 1945 were fought against the backdrop of an irrevocable decline in British power. Written from a theoretically-informed perspective, grounded in rich archival sources, oral testimonies and a revisionist reading of the literature on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism, this is the definitive account of the politics of Britain's small wars. -- .

In this fully illustrated introduction, acclaimed historian Dr Aaron Edwards provides a concise overview of one of the most difficult and controversial actions in recent history. Spanning 38 years of the ‘Troubles’, the British Army’s deployment in Northern Ireland (codenamed Operation Banner) was one of the most difficult and controversial in its recent history. Over 10,000 troops were on active service during much of the campaign, which saw armoured vehicles, helicopters and special forces deployed onto the streets of Ulster. In this book, Dr Aaron Edwards considers the strategic, operational and tactical aspects of Operation Banner, as the Army’s military objectives morphed from high-profile peacekeeping into a covert war against the IRA. Using personal testimony from both sides of the sectarian divide, as well as insights from the soldiers themselves, he presents an authoritative introduction to the Army’s role in the Troubles, providing expert analysis of Operation Banner’s successes and failures. Updated and revised for the new edition, with full-colour maps and 50 new images, this is an accessible introduction to the complicated yet fascinating history of modern Britain‘s longest military campaign.

Discover how strategic theory can be used to navigate the complex and uncertain international security environment that we live in today. Strategy is a central concept in international security, and one that travels across the academic disciplines of politics, international relations and history. By why is it so important? Aaron Edwards unpacks key strategic episodes from world history and politics to help you understand the role of strategy and the scholarly and policy debates surrounding it. Themes covered include: International relations - technology - ethics - irregular war (including counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism and hybrid warfare) - the resurgence of great power rivalries in the early 21st century - the rise of non-state actors Case studies include: Guerrilla warfare and strategy in regions from South East Asia to the Middle East - US nuclear strategy in the Cold War - Russian intervention in Ukraine - British strategy at the end of empire - the UN's role in resolving conflict after the Cold War - US-led coalition strategy in Afghanistan - the challenge posed by Al Qaeda and Islamic State/Daesh

The Northern Ireland conflict was one of the most bloody, protracted, and bitter campaigns of terrorist violence in modern history. Rooted in the partition of Ireland in 1921, over 50,000 people were killed or seriously injured because of the hostilities between Catholic nationalists and Protestant unionists. Despite the landmark Good Friday Agreement in 1998, violent incidents are still rife and new paramilitary groups are becoming ever more emboldened. This landmark introduction uses the latest archival material to chart the history of "The Troubles" and to examine the possible factors behind the political compromise of Sinn Fein and the DUP. Exploring the legacy of sectarian violence and inconsistent British intervention, the authors assert that, unfortunately, Northern Ireland is perhaps as fiercely segregated as ever.

As the fiftieth anniversary of the Troubles approaches, Ken Wharton takes a thorough look at the start of the Troubles, the precursors and the explosion of violence in 1969 that would last until the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 and cost 50,000 casualties and nearly 2,000 civilians' lives across Northern Ireland, the Republic and England. Utterly condemnatory of the Provisional IRA and their ilk, Wharton pulls no punches in his assessment of the situation then and seeks to dismiss apologists today. His sympathy lies first with those tasked with keeping order in the province, but also with the innocent civilians caught up in thirty years of immense bloodshed. Based on the powerful testimony of those who were there at the time, The Troubles is written with passion and detailed knowledge of the experience of the squaddie.

Available for the first time in paperback, this book is the first definitive history of the Northern Ireland Labour Party (NILP), a unique political force which drew its support from Protestants and Catholics and became electorally viable despite deep-seated ethnic, religious and national divisions. Formed in 1924 and disbanded in 1987, the NILP succeeded in returning several of its members to the locally-based Northern Ireland parliament in 1925-29 and 1958-72 and polled some 100,000 votes in both the 1964 and the 1970 British general elections. As British Labour's 'sister' party in the province from the late 1920s until the late 1970s, the NILP could rely on substantive fraternal and organisational support at critical junctures in its history. Despite its political successes the NILP's significance has been downplayed by historians, partly because of the lack of empirical evidence and partly to reinforce the simplistic view of Northern Ireland as the site of the most protracted sectarian conflict in modern Europe. For the first time this book brings together important archival sources and the oral testimonies of former NILP members to explain the enigma of an extraordinary political party operating in extraordinary circumstances. The book situates the NILP's successes and failures in a broad historical framework, providing the reader with a balanced account of twentieth-century Northern Irish political history. -- .

Discover how strategic theory can be used to navigate the complex and uncertain international security environment that we live in today. Strategy is a central concept in international security, and one that travels across the academic disciplines of politics, international relations and history. By why is it so important? Aaron Edwards unpacks key strategic episodes from world history and politics to help you understand the role of strategy and the scholarly and policy debates surrounding it. Themes covered include: International relations - technology - ethics - irregular war (including counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism and hybrid warfare) - the resurgence of great power rivalries in the early 21st century - the rise of non-state actors Case studies include: Guerrilla warfare and strategy in regions from South East Asia to the Middle East - US nuclear strategy in the Cold War - Russian intervention in Ukraine - British strategy at the end of empire - the UN's role in resolving conflict after the Cold War - US-led coalition strategy in Afghanistan - the challenge posed by Al Qaeda and Islamic State/Daesh

After twenty years of almost unbroken wars of choice, the ethical deficiencies in the operational conduct of war by Western armed forces, has largely been ignored by scholarly critique - this volume addresses these deficiencies. It features analysis by some of the UK’s leading soldiers, veterans and scholars working in the fields of military ethics and contemporary conflict. Individual chapters discuss problems ranging from the practicalities of how to conduct a counterinsurgency campaign in one of the most challenging combat zones in the world, to the failure to account properly for defeat during military conflicts, among many others. The book addresses questions perennially raised about the role of the military in a democratic society and the extent to which its ideals are compromised in fighting wars of choice. Finally, the contributors look at remedies and solutions to these compromises by examining how previous generations faced similar problems and acted to solve them, and look ahead to see what lessons can be applied in a very different future.

Calvin is not having a good day. He wants to play with his toys, but his "Mama" (grandmother) wants him to get ready for school. What will Calvin do? How will he feel? What kind of day will he have in school?

War has been a perennial feature of human history since ancient times, yet it remains a poorly understood phenomenon. It has done much to shape our world, from overthrowing leaders, establishing international governance, and inspiring social change, to destroying cities, dividing nations and breeding animosity. In this book, Dr Aaron Edwards succinctly combines political theories with historical realities. Using eyewitness accounts, war poetry and insightful analysis of a wide range of conflicts, War: A Beginner's Guide introduces the reader to the complexity and human face of war and invites readers to question whether violence is the most effective way to resolve disputes.

Britain is often revered for its extensive experience of waging 'small wars'. Its long imperial history is littered with high profile counter-insurgency campaigns, thus marking it out as the world's most seasoned practitioner of this type of warfare. This is the first book to detail the tactical and operational dynamics of Britain's small wars, arguing that the military's use of force was more heavily constrained by wider strategic and political considerations than previously admitted. Outlining the civil-military strategy followed by the British in Palestine, Malaya, Kenya, Cyprus, Aden, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, Defending the realm argues that Britain's small wars since 1945 were fought against the backdrop of an irrevocable decline in British power. Written from a theoretically-informed perspective, grounded in rich archival sources, oral testimonies and a revisionist reading of the literature on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism, this is the definitive account of the politics of Britain's small wars.

This book focuses on the decade since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in 1998, as political and paramilitary actors attempt to adjust to the rigours of democratic participation. It delineates the key stumbling blocks in the current peace and political processes and examines in detail just how the conversion from terrorism to democratic politics is being managed in post-conflict Northern Ireland. It aims to fill a gap in the literature by juxtaposing 'top-level' political party and inter-governmental politics alongside 'middle-range' civil society interventions and 'grass-roots' community level politics.Moreover, it provides an empirically informed examination of the central political ideologies, parties and identities at play, as well as the methodologies by which paramilitary groupings are attempting to deal with the legacies of the past conflict. The book draws its contributors from across the disciplinary boundaries of political science, history, anthropology, sociology and political sociology and is situated within a broad analytical and theoretical framework.