Terrorism, Afghanistan, and America's New Way of W - Hardcover

Friedman PhD., Norman

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1591142903 ISBN 13: 9781591142904

Publisher: Naval Institute Press, 2003

Synopsis

Award-winning author and defense analyst Norman Friedman offers a first-rate, in-depth analysis of the radically new tactics and strategy used by the United States in Afghanistan. He then sets the Afghan war in the wider context of the war against terrorism, exploring the rationale for and consequences of the September 11 attacks. Friedman asserts that the terrorists' attacks were intended to inspire a wider movement in the Muslim world that would lead to a pan-Muslim empire headed by Osama bin Laden. He argues that the attempt failed largely because of determined U.S. action and that the coalition's success in Afghanistan has moved the war on terrorism towards the realm of police and intelligence operations.

Although many books have examined September 11 and its aftermath, this work is the first to set the Afghan war in the context of an evolving U.S. tactical style that follows the new network-centric pattern and the first to use Afghanistan as a test of that pattern. The book also fully explores the contributions made by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps while fighting in the land-locked country and the importance of the use of maritime power in the future. Nor does Friedman neglect to acknowledge the role played by politics, including the ethnic politics of Pakistan. Finally, the author's careful examination of the new concepts of warfare as applied to the Afghan war provides valuable lessons to those concerned about future conflicts.

About this title

About the Author:

Norman Friedman is a prominent naval analyst and the author of more than thirty books covering a range of naval subjects, from warship histories to contemporary defense issues. He is a longtime columnist for Proceedings magazine and lives in New York City.

Review:

"...a good job of predicting the course of the Iraq campaign, ...makes his conclusions all the more persuasive." -- Wall Street Journal

"...a lucidly written overview that military leaders and civilian policy makers should seriously ponder." -- Marine Corps Gazette

"...a profoundly intelligent, well-written book which explains both what happened and what is very likely to happen." -- Greenwich Connecticut Times

"...an excellent book that seamlessly moves across the three topics the title advertises. " -- Parameters

"...the first serious book out of the chute on the war in Afghanistan, this one is lucid and forceful." -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch

About this edition

• Publisher: Naval Institute Press
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1591142903
• ISBN 13: 9781591142904
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304