Why Leaders Choose War

Renshon, Jonathan

ISBN 10: 0275990850 / ISBN 13: 9780275990855

Published by ABC-CLIO, 2006

About this Item

Presents a theory of preventative action based upon the beliefs and perceptions of leaders. This book examines five cases: British action in the Suez Canal Crisis, 1956; Israel's strike on Iraq's nuclear reactor, 1981; American preventive war planning, 1946-1954; Indian preventative war planning, 1982-2002; and America's war against Iraq, 2003. Series: Praeger Security International. Num Pages: 240 pages, 1 table. BIC Classification: JPS; JW. Category: (G) General (US: Trade); (U) Tertiary Education (US: College). Dimension: 235 x 155 x 22. Weight in Grams: 562. . 2006. Hardback. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland.

Seller Inventory # V9780275990855

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Why Leaders Choose War
• Publisher: ABC-CLIO
• Publication Date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0275990850
• ISBN 13: 9780275990855
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Preventive war has a long history in international politics, but until it became an instrumental part of the Bush Doctrine, it was mostly overlooked. Renshon argues that the best avenue for understanding decisions to initiate preventive action is through a close examination of the individual leader responsible for such decisions. In this work, he develops a theory of psychological motivations for preventive action. By examining five situations, including the Iraq war, he pinpoints the factors that matter most in decisions to take preventive military action.

There have been preventive wars throughout history, but the motivations behind them have remained elusive, and many crucial questions remain unanswered. What exactly constitutes preventive action? What differentiates preventive action from pre-emptive action? Are there significant differences between preventive strikes and full-on preventive wars? What is the relationship of preventive action to traditional concepts of deterrence, compellence, and international law? Finally, why do states initiate preventive action?

Renshon argues that the best avenue for understanding decisions to initiate preventive action is through a close examination of the individual leader responsible for such decisions.

About the Author

Jonathan Renshon is a doctoral student in the Government department at Harvard University, focusing on international security issues. He holds a master's degree in international relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science and has served on the editorial board of the Millennium Journal of International Relations.