About the Author

A Council on Foreign Relations Book
Micah Zenko is a Fellow for Conflict Prevention in the Center for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Relations. He has expertise in U.S. national security policy, military planning and operations, and nuclear weapons policy.

Reviews

"Zenko's analysis of the limited use of force is brilliant and timely. He breaks new ground in moving beyond Cold War thinking to assess the efficacy of specific military measures in a unipolar environment. This work is a major step in sharpening the application of US military force to achieve political aims abroad. A 'must-read' for anyone - military or civilian - who wants to participate in or understand US national security decision-making." - Gen. Wesley Clark, U.S. Army (ret.), former Supreme Allied Commander Europe "In his important work on Discrete Military Operations, Micah Zenko studies the use of cruise missile strikes, small air raids, and other such limited uses of force that became the norm in much of the post-Cold War era. Zenko reminds policymakers of the uneven track record of such operations, while also providing rich new historical detail on matters such as the contemplated (but ultimately foregone) strike near Khurmal, Iraq on the Ansar al-Islam extremist group in 2002. Highly recommended." - Michael O'Hanlon, Senior Fellow and Director of Research for Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution "This book is readable, relevant, and insightful. It represents exceptional analysis on a topic that few have explored in such detail. It is well researched, well documented, and well organized. I recommend it to all civilian and military leaders pondering the utility and efficacy of direct military strikes against sensitive targets." - Colonel Robert M. Cassidy, U.S. Army Senior Fellow, Center for Advanced Defense Studies "Between Threats and War is one of those rare but valuable works that uses rigorous scholarship to illuminate the dynamics of security decisions. Both theorists and security practitioners will find it challenging and useful." - Steven Metz, U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute