Many saw the United States' decisive victory in Desert Storm (1991) as not only vindication of American defense policy since Vietnam but also confirmation of a revolution in military affairs (RMA). Just as information-age technologies were revolutionizing civilian life, the Gulf War appeared to reflect similarly profound changes in warfare. A debate has raged ever since about a contemporary RMA and its implications for American defense policy. Addressing these issues, The Iraq Wars and America's Military Revolution is a comprehensive study of the Iraq Wars in the context of the RMA debate. Focusing on the creation of a reconnaissance-strike complex and conceptions of parallel or nonlinear warfare, Keith L. Shimko finds a persuasive case for a contemporary RMA while recognizing its limitations as well as promise.

Many saw the United States' decisive victory in Desert Storm (1991) as not only vindication of American defense policy since Vietnam but also confirmation of a revolution in military affairs (RMA). Just as information-age technologies were revolutionizing civilian life, the Gulf War appeared to reflect similarly profound changes in warfare. A debate has raged ever since about a contemporary RMA and its implications for American defense policy. Addressing these issues, The Iraq Wars and America's Military Revolution is a comprehensive study of the Iraq Wars in the context of the RMA debate. Focusing on the creation of a reconnaissance-strike complex and conceptions of parallel or nonlinear warfare, Keith L. Shimko finds a persuasive case for a contemporary RMA while recognizing its limitations as well as promise.

It is no secret that the language of politics is as highly suggestive as it is subjective: foreign relations are accompanied by a changing array of names and images. In Images and Arms Control, Keith Shimko takes a close look at the Reagan Administration's attitudes toward the Soviet Union and explores the important relationship between "enemy" images and arms control policy preferences. The author examines how George Schultz, Caspar Weinberger, Richard Perle, Richard Burt, and Reagan himself perceived the Soviet Union - including their beliefs about Soviet capabilities, motives, attitudes toward the United States, and decision-making processes. He demonstrates correspondences among their individual perceptions of the Soviet Union and the policies each of these influential officials advocated in debates over SALT II, INF, START, and SDI. Images and Arms Control provides a review of the relevant theory and research in political psychology and international relations; its empirical approach - which employs rigorous, clearly explained content analytic techniques - lays the groundwork for the author to expand our understanding of the psychological bases of foreign policy decision making. Periods of transition allow recognition, and Images and Arms Control appears at just a time: current perceptions of the Soviet Union and the adoption of new players in the "enemy" role provide ironic and timely confirmation of Shimko's approach. His study provides a clear model for ongoing exploration of the impact of images and perceptions - and cognitive variables in general - on foreign policy decision making.

This innovative presentation of international relations provides introductory students with a foundation of knowledge to help them understand the broader historical context and the multiple perspectives that apply to this field. The first chapter surveys the development of international relations, focusing on the emergence and evolution of the modern state. The second chapter introduces major perspectives, both classic and new, that influence thinking about the issues. Each of the following 11 topical chapters explores an enduring and important argument in the field.

A four-part structure in each chapter assists students in systematic, critical thinking regarding international affairs. Every chapter begins with a historical overview of the issue at hand, including its origins, evolution, and current status. The author leads students in a lively debate— plotting, discussing, and evaluating the different points of view— then offers a scholarly and political assessment of the situation. This distillation of the discussion reflects meaningful distinctions among political positions and helps students to cultivate an appreciation for the nature and structure of the argument.Each of the topical chapters (3– 13) includes a feature, "Points of View," which uses primary source documents to demonstrate the ideas, debates, and arguments about international relations. These documents— from sources such as official foreign policy statements, government papers, and editorials— extend the chapter discussion both in and outside the classroom.Additional pedagogical features include marginal key terms and definitions, chapter summaries, discussion questions, and suggestionsfor further reading.