Customer Reviews

The Costs of Conflict: Prevention and Cure in the Global Arena (Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Note: Amazon has switched the authors' names on this: correctly, they are Michael Brown and Richard Rosecrance - I hope Amazon makes this right!

This is a solid volume with scholarly yet accessible examinations of several conflicts - some of which do indeed indicate that an ounce of successful, well-timed prevention (broadly defined) is worth quite a few pounds of cure. Thayer's meticulous study of UNPREDEP in Macedonia, the UN's first/only preventive deployment mission and a case all too rarely examined, is exemplary. Burundi is another intriguing case, as are Slovakia, Haiti and El Salvador. Yes, there are some dry numbers throughout the volume, but they are key to making the "value" point, and they do matter.

The book is well-arranged: by failed, initial and mid-conflict prevention case studies. That makes a lot of sense and helps the reader comprehend more about what the prevention efforts entailed in context.

If you've wanted to know more about conflict prevention (cure may be overly optimistic in today's world, sadly, despite the title), this is a terrific book!

P.S. Wish it were available for Kindle!