Violent non-state actors (VNSA) often serve a destabilizing role in nearly every humanitarian and political crisis faced by the international community. As non-state armed groups gain greater access to resources and networks through global interconnectivity, they have come to dominate the terrain of illegal trade in drugs, guns, and humans. Warlords Rising arms those confronting the mounting challenge by delivering an innovative, interdisciplinary framework of analysis designed to improve understanding of non-state adversaries in order to affect their development and performance. Examining the utility of traditional theories of deterrence and warfighting in light of the insight gained through this interdisciplinary approach, the authors elevate the powerful role of environmental shaping in group development, recast deterrence in ecological terms, and lay out a strategy to defeat non-state adversaries if necessary. Whether the goal is preventing, coercing, or conquering, the framework of analysis presented here is designed to be universal, allowing for structured analysis across regions, types, and functions of non-state actors and providing the decision maker and policy maker witha variety of modes and methods of intervention.

North Korea has been described as the most secretive country on earth. Dealing with such a closed society one that is simultaneously seeking acceptance through nuclear relations while defying the plea to cease development of nuclear weapons is difficult for governments and policy makers, but Perspectives on Policy Toward North Korea opens discussion on the various approaches the United States has adopted and is considering. Providing expert views on the impasse between the U.S. and North Korea, the volume addresses topics that include the negotiating strategies of the Clinton and Bush administrations, the concept of building bilateral relationships through contact of U.S. and South Korean military officers, and the benefits of allowing China to take the lead in conflict resolution. Employing both traditional and unusual methods, including diplomatic, academic, and military viewpoints, Perspectives on Policy Toward North Korea is an essential guide to a better understanding of this complicated dynamic and an important work for policy makers, analysts, and anyone interested in conflict resolution and security studies."

North Korea has been described as the most secretive country on earth. Dealing with such a closed society_one that is simultaneously seeking acceptance through nuclear relations while defying the plea to cease development of nuclear weapons_is difficult for governments and policy makers, but Perspectives on Policy Toward North Korea opens discussion on the various approaches the United States has adopted and is considering. Providing expert views on the impasse between the U.S. and North Korea, the volume addresses topics that include the negotiating strategies of the Clinton and Bush administrations, the concept of building bilateral relationships through contact of U.S. and South Korean military officers, and the benefits of allowing China to take the lead in conflict resolution. Employing both traditional and unusual methods, including diplomatic, academic, and military viewpoints, Perspectives on Policy Toward North Korea is an essential guide to a better understanding of this complicated dynamic and an important work for policy makers, analysts, and anyone interested in conflict resolution and security studies.

Violent non-state actors (VNSA) often serve a destabilizing role in nearly every humanitarian and political crisis faced by the international community. As non-state armed groups gain greater access to resources and networks through global interconnectivity, they have come to dominate the terrain of illegal trade in drugs, guns, and humans. Warlords Rising arms those confronting the mounting challenge by delivering an innovative, interdisciplinary framework of analysis designed to improve understanding of non-state adversaries in order to affect their development and performance. Examining the utility of traditional theories of deterrence and warfighting in light of the insight gained through this interdisciplinary approach, the authors elevate the powerful role of environmental shaping in group development, recast deterrence in ecological terms, and lay out a strategy to defeat non-state adversaries if necessary. Whether the goal is preventing, coercing, or conquering, the framework of analysis presented here is designed to be universal, allowing for structured analysis across regions, types, and functions of non-state actors and providing the decision maker and policy maker witha variety of modes and methods of intervention.