Asymmetrical Warfare: Today's Challenge to US Military Power (Issues in Twenty-First Century Warfare) [Paperback]

Roger W. Barnett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 27, 2003 | Series: Issues in Twenty-First Century Warfare

In this concise and penetrating study, Roger Barnett illuminates the effect of operational, organizational, legal, and moral constraints on the ability of the U.S. to use military force. As the tragic events of September 11 demonstrated, potential adversaries can take advantage of these limitations, thus spawning "asymmetrical warfare." Barnett defines asymmetrical warfare as not simply a case of pitting one's strength against another's weakness but rather of taking the calculated risk to exploit an adversary's inability or unwillingness to prevent, or defend against, certain actions. For instance, launching chemical, biological, or suicide attacks; taking indiscriminate actions against critical infrastructure; using hostages or human shields; deliberately destroying the environment; and targeting noncombatants all constitute possible asymmetrical warfare scenarios. Against these acts, the U.S. has not prepared any response in kind. Indeed it either cannot or will not undertake such responses, thus making these attacks especially difficult to counter. This refusal to retaliate in an "eye for an eye" fashion complicates the dilemma of American policymakers who seek to wield power and influence on the world stage while simultaneously projecting a peaceful and benign image. Barnett concludes that the U.S. must create a formal system of selectively eliminating the constraints that dictate our response to certain situations or scenarios. Failure to make such changes will only increase paralysis and, when the use of force is required, contribute to the already heightened risks.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Roger W. Barnett, Ph.D., is an award-winning author and professor emeritus at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. A retired U.S. Navy captain, he held a variety of posts while on active duty, including the command of a guided-missile destroyer and the head of both the Strategic Concepts Branch and the Extended Planning Branch in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He has published numerous essays, articles, and reviews on naval affairs, national military strategy, arms control, and security policy. With Colin S. Gray, he coedited SEAPOWER AND STRATEGY, published by the Naval Institute Press in 1989. He lives in Newport, Rhode Island.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Potomac Books Inc.; 1 edition (January 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574885634
• ISBN-13: 978-1574885637
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Re Unfettered Conventional Violence, NOT Asymmetric Warfare, July 5, 2003

By 

Robert D. Steele (Oakton, VA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Asymmetrical Warfare: Today's Challenge to US Military Power (Issues in Twenty-First Century Warfare) (Paperback)

There is nothing objectionable about this thoughtful and well-documented book except its title. It is simply not about "asymmetric warfare" as Ralph Peters, G.I. Wilson, Bill Lind or any of a dozen other authors including myself might speak. This book provides a reasoned and respectable argument against limiting in any way the degree to which strategic nuclear and conventional forces might be utilized. The author systematically discusses operational, legal, and moral constraints that, if permitted to stand, could in effect give a challenger relying on asymmetric means something of an advantage.

The book does not, however, consider for a moment that our existing heavy metal military is anything other than the ideal blunt instrument with which to wreak our will. It does not discuss asymmetric challenges as a range, it does not evaluate the effectiveness or ineffectiveness (whether operationally, or in terms of cost and sustainability) of varying alternatives for dealing with asymmetric challenges (e.g. soft power including covert action), and therefore the book should more aptly have been titled "The Curtis Lemay Handbook for Squishing Mosquitoes with Multiple Nuclear Bombs" or even better, "Don Rumsfeld's Press Briefing on Why B-2 Bombers Were Called in Against 18 Taliban Guerrillas in Afghanistan."

Asymmetric warfare, this is not...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars For non-military audience, January 11, 2009

By 

John Kim - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Asymmetrical Warfare: Today's Challenge to US Military Power (Issues in Twenty-First Century Warfare) (Paperback)

This book is geared towards audiences that have no knowledge whatsoever about asymmetrical warfare. The information I gathered from this book brings absolutely nothing to the fight, but brilliantly and clearly defines the scenario of today's operational environment. It does not possess any practical information on how to negotiate the challenges without completely neglecting current established treaties and policies. One of those "good to know" books.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars response, August 27, 2006

By 

Patricia R. Highsmith "cumgranosalis" (okla.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Asymmetrical Warfare: Today's Challenge to US Military Power (Issues in Twenty-First Century Warfare) (Paperback)

The first reviewer despite his technical expertise may have missed the point, this is use of current skills and inventory against those who employ asymmetical warfare methods. It is a mindset for dealing with such tactics and utilization of our ready resources. I found it informative and useful and wish more policy makers would read it.