Why do we try to use military force to solve our political problems? And why, when our forces win the military battles does this still fail to solve those problems? It is because the force lacks utility. From Iraq to the Balkans, and from Afghanistan to Chechneya, over the past fifteen years there has been a steady stream of military interventions that have not delivered on their promise for peace, or even political resolution. The "Utility of Force" explains this anomaly at the heart of our current international system.

About the Author

General Sir Rupert Smith is one of the most senior international practitioners in the use of force. In his forty year career in the British Army he commanded the UK Armoured Division in the 1990-91 Gulf War, was GOC Northern Ireland, commanded the UN forces in Bosnia in 1995, and served as Deputy Commander of NATO. All of this experience informs his book. He retired in 2002.

Reviews

This book, by a retired general and 40-year veteran of the British army, is an intelligent examination of the theory of modern warfare. Smith distinguishes the utility of force from the morality of force, focusing exclusively on the former. He convincingly argues that a paradigm shift in warfare occurred with the end of the Cold War in 1991 and that the inability of Western military forces to achieve political goals successfully since that time resulted from a failure to adapt to this new paradigm; said forces are still seeking to fight traditional wars between states in search of a return to the status quo. Smith's prose is clear, brisk, and compelling; suitable for any adult reader with an interest in modern war or the history of military theory. He expertly avoids any semblance of partisanship, which makes this book an excellent choice for readers interested in a high-level analysis of warfare without political or moral rhetoric. This book is an excellent addition to public or academic libraries.-Robert Perret, Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

"One of the most important books on modern warfare in the last decade. We would be better off if the United States had a few more generals like him." --"The Washington Post Book World"
"An impressive and absorbing work of military analysis. . . . Smith is the Clausewitz of low-intensity conflict and peacekeeping operations. . . . He brilliantly lays bare the newfound limits of Western military power." --"The New York Times Book Review"
"It is hard to overstate the devastating nature of this book as an indictment of almost everything the West has done in recent years, and is doing today."
--"The Sunday Telegraph
"
"A closely argued, searching textbook on strategy and the efficient use of military power in the post-Cold War era."
--"The New York Times"