Winning the War: Advanced Weapons, Strategies, and Concepts for the Post-9/11 World (Paperback)

by John B. Alexander Ph.D. (Author) "EVER SINCE DISCUSSION OF nonlethal weapons began, the analogy with the world-famous Star Trek weapons has been pandemic..." (more)
Key Phrases: six sigma solutions, tactical laser, manned presence, United States, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A former Vietnam Green Beret commander and developer of "non-lethal defense" at Los Alamos, retired Army Colonel Alexander argues that too much emphasis has been placed on developing the mass killing power of modern weapons. He makes a predictable alternative case for developing a spectrum of nonlethal technologies, not merely unmanned aerial vehicles and sensors able to penetrate solid obstacles, but face recognizers and brain scanners as well. He advocates synergizing these tools with a new generation of lethal technologies based on "things small and smart," especially robotic systems that will replace humans in such high-risk missions as mine clearing and security patrolling. According to Alexander, in future conflicts these high-tech methods will increasingly be juxtaposed with techniques as old as warfare itself. He cites post-September 11 operations in Afghanistan, where precision-guided bombs supported cavalry charges, then segues into a series of hypothetical future scenarios ranging from a hostage situation in Nepal to major conflicts in the Middle East. While Alexander offers one scenario in which an "obliging enemy" fights a tactically conventional battle and is easily destroyed, he takes pains to demonstrate that America's future wars are most likely to be asymmetric. In the book's final hundred pages, Alexander recommends eviscerating terrorist funding, developing media as a strategic weapon and using precision weapons to target terrorists' families, but predicts an increase in the level and success of terrorist activity to a point where an outraged citizenry calls for massive retaliation with no clear target in sight; Alexander obliges with a series of even more apocalyptic recommendations for winning "World War X." Connections to political and social realities may be tenuous-but no one can accuse him of unwillingness to think outside the box.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
One of the key developers of nonlethal weapons here studies the use of such weapons in the war against terrorism. Some of those instruments, such as air-dropped fiber nets that short out power grids, have already been employed in Iraq. Some not exactly nonlethal counterparts have also been used, such as the high-intensity, thermobaric heat weapons used for cave busting in Afghanistan. As well as weapons per se, Alexander discusses some tactics that aren't weapons in the traditional sense, such as bribery (useful in kleptocracies) and spreading disinformation through not only the formal media but also the Web. Alexander shows genuine but mature enthusiasm for the new range of tactics and strategy, and he is aware that, in the long run, sound political solutions are necessary. In the shorter run, we seem to be approaching the capability of defense without inflicting horrendous and destabilizing casualties on opponents, even if we think they deserve them! Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (October 21, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312306768
• ISBN-13: 978-0312306762
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #861,519 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars two different books, October 27, 2008

By	R. Heiderer (boulder) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Winning the War: Advanced Weapons, Strategies, and Concepts for the Post-9/11 World (Hardcover)

This book offers up a non-detailed summary of weapons systems that are being contemplated and tested for the next round of wars. Most of it is obvious from reading Popular Mechanics. The author attempts to write up possible scenarios as to how such weapons might be used in an imagined confrontation in the near future. Sadly he also comments on political and ethical considerations in the last part of the book that that sound like the ravings of a lunatic. ( For example: In an effort to stem the tide of murders in the Middle East the author recommends that we do as the Russians and target the families of suicide bombers, hack up their bodies and send the parts to their relatives. Apparently it worked. If you like hearing this sort of thing as a serious policy proposal coming from a high ranking American military officer then you might like the book.) It makes you wonder what a lifetime of service in the military actually does to your mind.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive perspective that seizes the real issues..., November 26, 2004

By	M. Conrad Hunter (Southern California) - See all my reviews

Col. Alexander's Winning the War: Advanced Weapons, Strategies, and Concepts for the Post-911 World is a painful read, but the very pain is testimony to the gravity of the U.S. security/defense situation and his accurate depiction of what needs to be changed. Like any good intelligence officer, he does not alter the facts, but merely illuminates them with enlightened speculation. "...weak democracies may actually exacerbate the potential for regional instability. In practice, democracy is very complex and requires experience gained through time and trial. It cannot be bestowed on emerging societies and expected to be successful. We simply must stop anticipating that other countries will act according to the American model. " p. 247.

By admitting that things are not `all right', but that there are only problems waiting for solution, we can move onto what may be reasonable and realistic remedies to the crisis at hand. "In the United States we simply do not comprehend the importance of history and consistently focus on near-term solutions based on symptoms. Rarely do we attempt to understand causal relationships. If the problem can't be stated in a twenty-second sound bite, we just forget about it." P 183.

Policy is dependent on intelligence, and the later has been used by the U.S. regularly, though hesitatingly and inconsistently, over the years. For the U.S., a great dilemma arises when the information is gathered and kept subordinate to political correctness and expediency, due to the bureaucratic process' dedication to transparency, impartiality and the rule of law. The tension between `special operations' mentality and openness, between ends and means, makes this study of the problem not only interesting academically, but also potentially useful in practice. "The three best methods to determine the likelihood that an active terrorist is attempting to board a flight are profiling, profiling, and profiling." P. 191. "Now the War on Terror has brought a new focus on assassination as an implement of conflict...there is only one way to deal with terrorists-you kill them." Pp. 198-199.

The solutions depicted throughout various vignettes are sound and practical, one of which pertains to ..." revamping the military personnel system. Skilled retirees abounded, most willing to be recalled to fight if an urgent need existed. There was no need to have members of the military serve twenty years consecutively. Over the decades a small number of reservists had proven that intermittent periods on extended active duty could be effective and they could keep up with their counterparts. A strategic response would be to move retirees into homeland security positions and push active-duty personnel into fielded forces abroad." P. 153 "...we should develop a unified organization that meets today's requirements. The old system is anachronistic." P. 251.

Excellent...this is the wake-up call.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Out-of-the-box thinking for "Winning The War.", September 14, 2003

By	FM Bonsall (QCI, BC, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Winning the War: Advanced Weapons, Strategies, and Concepts for the Post-9/11 World (Hardcover)

Do you ever get the sneaking feeling that we are going about this "War on Terror" all wrong? Then read further as Colonel John Alexander knows of what he speaks and he brings it all to bear here in Winning The War.

"World War X" is upon us and Alexander suspects that we will fail to win it promptly, if ever. He sees the scope of the problem and our political leaders (evidenced by results to date) demonstrably do not. We do have the means to win but lack the ken and the will. We are fighting an asymmetric 21st century war with a 20th century mindset.

The Colonel has expertise in the strategy, operations and tactics of war and educates us on the mix of sensors, lethal and non-lethal weapons that are available now and those that are coming soon. He then shows us in several scenarios how these elements can be used together successfully not only to win battles but also to save lives.

He will surprise some with his suggestions on how to cut-off funding for this enemy. No political sacred cows for Alexander as he exposes what must be done and why. Winning this war as outlined by him will make for some strange political bedfellows indeed.

Alexander sees further than most as he covers some potentially useful technologies that are truly cutting-edge. He has been in the insiders position to know about these esoterica first-hand and describes how they potentially offer huge returns in this war and for society in general.

Winning The War delivers a comprehensive appraisal of the current situation and how to get out of this mess that appears to get worst by the week. This, to a society sorely in need of hearing more than ideological aphorisms from our leaders and politically-based rhetoric from pundits of the left and right.

Most refreshing for me was the out-of-the-box thinking throughout the book. Cynics may discount some of his suggestions with a "We could never do that!"-attitude. Know that Alexander is not intellectualizing, one need only look at his background to know that he has lived, pushing the boundaries of human potential. He knows that each of us is capable of more than we know and so is our society as a whole if we just take the time to examine. Start with this book.

A must read for all freethinkers.